Slow Dance

Shortly after my dad passed some five years ago my immediate world was in a state of semi-chaos, mi chica's best friend went through a divorce, my kids were all making their own mistakes, needless to say in those days things were a little stressful and on one New Years Day morning I sat behind the computer and my fingers started typing, and typing and typing. I was letting go, everything I had inside started to come out while at the same time my love for music and dance remained with me.

I wrote so much over the next couple of months that what I wrote could have been put into a small book. Each chapter or episode received a name, what I'm about to share with you is part of that.

The following is just an excerpt of the chapter I named "La Familia":

I believe that the best present we can give each other is ourselves, not the nice things we can buy or the expensive things we can’t, the best present you can give is 100% free. Show up to our weekly celebrations (God know we have enough of those), send an email to say “hi!” or give a call and if you can’t reach the person you are calling don’t feel bad, just leave a message, it’s not so hard. The premise of this is to be in touch and to be a part of each other. If we do this for other people but can’t do it for our family, what’s wrong with that picture? I keep hearing that worst than getting old is getting old alone. That’s why I thank God each and everyday for the greatest gift of all – YOU!

SLOW DANCE

Have you ever watched kids?
On a merry-go-around,
Or listened to the rain
Slapping on the ground
Ever followed a butterfly’s erratic flight
Or gazed at the sun into the fading night
You better slow down
Don’t dance so fast
Time is short
The music won’t last

Do you run through each day?
On the fly
when you ask, “How are you?”
Do you hear the reply?
When the day is done
Do you lie in your bed?
With the next hundred chores
Running through your head?
You'd better slow down
Don't dance so fast.
Time is short.
The music won't last.

Ever told your child,
We'll do it tomorrow?
And in your haste,
Not see his sorrow?
Ever lost touch,
Let a good friendship die
Cause you never had time
To call and say,"Hi"
You'd better slow down.
Don't dance so fast.
Time is short.
The music won't last.

When you run so fast to get somewhere
You miss half the fun of getting there.
When you worry and hurry through your day,
It is like an unopened gift….
Thrown away.
Life is not a race.
Do take it slower
Hear the music
Before the song is over.

Thank you mi chica for sending me this poem, story goes that it was written by a young girl that is terminally ill in a New York hospital. This young girl has or had six months to live, and she wanted to send a letter to everyone telling everyone to live his or her life to the fullest since she never will. She knew that she would never make it to the prom, graduate from high school or have a family of her own. Those are things that most of us have taken for granted, so don’t wait until it’s too late, let’s live in the now and dance it at your own pace.

Mi chica was having a particularly busy month and our emails were getting far and few; she received the email letter and sent it to me, her very next email read as follows:

Ola, Just wanted to say "Hi"!!

You know lately my days are really busy but reading the "slow dance" e-mail got me thinking that we all need to slow down. So with this here I am making sure that I slow down at least to make sure I make time for you and me.... Because you know that there is not time like the present!!

And then she went on to say…

We need to plan a weekend getaway just you and I so, think about it...I love you so mucho, Tu chica!

Now that’s what I’m talking about. I hope you all see now where I get my inspiration from; mi chica is definitely my strength. As Jerry McGuire would say “You complete me”.

Mi chica: I know they get on our nerves sometimes but they are our kids.
Me: No they are your kids
Mi chica: They are not only mine
Me: When they are good they are mine, when they are bad they are yours
Mi chica: See you are a "grouch"
Me: OK maybe just a little
Mi chica: More like a lot
Me: Grrrrrrrrrr.
Mi chica: Don’t get mad
Me: I'm not mad, but sometimes I do get frustrated
Mi chica: We’ll be bored when they are gone

I totally agree with mi chica on that one, truth is that good or bad when the kids our around they are our kids. Not hers, not mine but always and forever OURS.

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