Thankful.

Today is a special day in history. And arguably, tomorrow will be a special day in history. And the next. And the next.

And while I could write about the inauguration of President Obama in light of where our nation stands at this moment-- I won't. Because truth is, hundreds of other people have articulated much of my own thoughts elsewhere on the web in far more eloquent of a fashion than I have energy for tonight.

And the deeper truth is, even with the grandeur of today surrounding coming from many other things, my focus has rests completely on these two pictures:




I am ridiculously blessed. I am surrounded by beautiful friends (and these shots are just a small representation) who can make me laugh to the point of tears and who love me well. They call me just to cheer me on and encourage. They meet me where I am on any given day and they step in for me when I need them.

So as the day winds down and the week goes on, I continue to remind myself of all Dad's showered all around me and give thanks. Because, truly, these are the ones who help me to choose "hope instead of fear" every single day.

...

When in doubt, dance.


Today has been stressful and exciting, frustrating and laughter-filled. School seemed longer than usual. One of my best friends called with "yay worthy" news. My car decided that it didn't want to play any music on the drive home. Blah, blah, blah.

I came home this afternoon utterly spent and no fun to be around... And there was one thing of which I was certain: if I didn't DO something soon to change the way things had been going, my exhaustion (and crankiness) levels could only worsen.

So, I danced. I closed all doors, shut all blinds, turned on a little bit of music and lost myself in movement. I went around the kitchen, into the hallway, through the dining room and back again. I let my hair down and allowed a smile to break across my face. There was a little ballet, a hint of jazz, and a lot of twirling-little-girl. For those few minutes, I was unattached. Free. More than content.

And then I began to wonder, "What would my life look like if I started and ended every day dancing?" - odd, I know. But this is something I think I'm going to try. For at least a week. Maybe more. Because, dancing is something that forces emotion and expression -and often joy- into my life. And I know I can always use a little more of that.


(photo - ht: Rachel Schell)