Dance Inside
(Playing
~ "Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2" by Liszt)
~ parts popularized as "Closer My Dear, Come Closer" ~
On a recent visit to New York City, I was
struck by the sight of two bag people
~ a man and a woman. They sat under the window in front of a
finance company
on Madison Avenue.
The man was surrounded by large black
plastic bags stuffed with his belongings
and a collection of empty soda pop cans.
The woman, staring into space, had a canvas bag tucked under her arm and several shopping bags at her side with bits of debris spilling over the top.
Large gold letters on the finance company's
window formed
an ironic message over their heads:
"Are You Aware Of Your Personal Assets?"
Strange as it may seem, people in general have their own ways of keeping themselves unaware of their varying talents and personal resources. They use negative messages which keep them from developing themselves in new areas.
Common excuses are, "I'm too old for that," "I've never been good at remembering names," "I don't know how to talk in front of a group of people."
In times of change or crisis, people may box
themselves in so that they see
only one option. They don't know how to recognize their own
strengths
although they readily admire the traits and capabilities of
others.
They hang on to comfortable ways of doing things rather than
trying
new behaviors which would help them form satisfying relationships.
They have forgotten how to dream or they
don't know how to use dreams
to image their way to new and exciting experiences.
They have spent many years of their lives
doing things for other people and
preparing for the future, and they have not learned how to give
themselves
permission to bask in the pleasures of the "here and now."
They may have
accepted the notion that their brains are like warehouses,
filling up in time,
rather than believing the brain is an organ with incredible
possibilities
when given continued stimulation. They may miss out on growth
opportunities
because they believe that seeking a professional counselor
or life-planning consultant is a sign of weakness.
Gaining new insight about yourself and
learning new skills can come about
through support groups at church or in a senior center, through
reading
and exploring on your own, by selecting good friends who
encourage you
to be your very best and by spending time with a professional
helper
trained to understand your mental and emotional possibilities.
One of my dearest friends (a former dancer
with the USO)
suffered multiple fractures in both feet in an automobile
accident
when she was 56. She also had other injuries and spent months
in recuperaton. When she was once again on her feet,
she invited me to her home to listen to a new jazz record.
She automatically began to move around the room as the music
played,
and even though her feet were not able to respond as they once
had,
the rhythmic movements of her body were enchanting.
That day I learned a new way to dance inside.
Why not begin today to develop the rhythm and the zest within you?
~ by Mary Ann Shropshire Barnhart
Copyright
© 2000
by the author
Published in Smoke
Signals, a quarterly publication especially
for
staff of the Good Samaritan Society, May, 1988
~~~
Thanks to my friend, Mary Ann, for
allowing me to re-print this article. Hopefully, it will be
passed along
to many people who will read it and be motivated.
~~~
I would love it if you would sign my guest book.
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