Thursday, November 02, 2006

Dancing Queen

When I was a younger girl, I would frequently put a favorite song on the record player downstairs, make sure that no one was around, and then I would DANCE! Oh, how I loved to dance to a great tune! It was fun, relaxing and in my imaginative world-I was the BEST dancer around. That's what the judges in my mind would say! They would hold up their score cards: 10, 10, 9.5, 10. The audience was always on their feet and I would repay their affection for me by bowing a deep bow and then dance ONE MORE DANCE for my adoring fans! No one in my family knew my little secret..they had no idea they were living with the greatest dancer around. I never told them.

Every now and then I still get the joyful urge to DANCE! Depending on the moment and the song, I'll still dance. But instead of dancing when no one is looking, I'll usually dance around my children. They are my adoring fans and I'll always reward their love for me with another dance which usually includes them. I had not danced for my children in a long time due to my pregnancy and the fatigue associated with it. Yesterday, my dancing urge returned when Rebecca turned on the song, Takin' it to the streets
which has recently been re-recorded by American Idol star Taylor Hicks. I tell you, when I hear that song, I NEED to dance. Only problem was, I had just put my audience to bed...all except for Rebecca and Hank. Rebecca was sitting in my room rocking Hank in the rocking chair.

My audience was spread out in three different rooms, so I decided to take the dancing show to them! I got varying reactions from my adoring fans. I immediately started dancing in my bedroom for Rebecca and Hank. I started bogeying up a storm people...and I was GOOD! I tried out all kinds of new dance moves to impress my daughter and son but all Rebecca would do was laugh. "Mom! What are you doooing? Ewh!" I replied, "What? I'm good. You don't like my dancing?" Hank just sat on Becca's lap like a limp bean-bag and stared at me. "Hanky poo..check out these moves!" I said, moving about to stimulate my infant's senses. Hank expressed his delight by promptly spitting up. They weren't impressed. I decided to take my show to the next venue: Nick's Room.

As the music played on, I gingerly tip-toed into Nick's darkened room to the beat of the song. Nick opened his eyes, sat up and started to laugh. He was totally delighted. I danced for Nick and in no time, my adoring Nick could not resist the music either. He popped out of his bed and accompanied his mom in the dance. He. Was. Good. (But not as good as me.) Nick copied my moves like a pro and so we just danced together in the darkened room. I gave my Nick a kiss and sent him back to bed. Next stop: Jack and Gus's Room.

I entered the room and danced my fantastic dance for my younger sons. Their response was less than enthusiastic. They just laid there. Staring. I danced some more, waiting for a response but got nothing but silence. After about 2 minutes Gus said, "Mom, can I have a kiss?" I stopped my dance and said, "Boys? Don't you like my dance?" Jack ignored me and said, "Mom, I'm going to the bathroom."

Well, there it is! My fans of today...they may not give me a score of 10, but they still adore me. I may not be the greatest dancer in the world anymore, but I'm the luckiest mom!


Work like you don't need money,
Love like you've never been hurt,
And dance like no one's watching.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

When I sing, my kids put their hands over their ears and ask me to stop making that awful noise.

Aren't our children supposed to be totally fascinated by our every talent? Aren't we parents supposed to be the BEST singers, dancers, storytellers, artists, chefs, etc? Or did they stop handing out those memos in the delivery wards?

Anonymous said...

What a beautiful fantasy. I did that, only it was singing at the tope of my lungs when I was first married and lived on Jewel st.

I wonder how many neighbors heard my howling.

This keeps our hearts light and gives us a great desire for life.

You are truly your mother's daughter.

Love ya

Mom