Left of Center

 

I love to dance with the music blasting loud enough so I can hear it in almost every room in our house. 

 

One of the songs that helps me find a rhythm to my day is by Suzanne Vega as it goes with how some days go in my life. 

 

Left of Center has an intro that I have heard since I was a young teenager, so I know which two steps to get ready for as this music begins. 

 

Strum strum strum, ping. Strum strum strum, ping. My feet are ready as the lyrics begin.

 

Dancing has been one of things that we all loved to do in our house for as long as we’ve been a family. 

 

We’d swing our arms big and wide while romping and stomping with the music turned up.

It used to be that this dancing happened every weekend as the Saturday cleaning began. 

 

Who else dances while cleaning as a family? If you don’t do it now you should try it soon!

 

You could find one of us on the edges with some music beginning and then the others would be drawn to the sounds. 

 

Sudden clapping of the hands would happen right before the pounding of feet as we would all join in the music by running up the stairs to make sure all the fun was had together. 

It seemed that our family was a bit left of center.

It seemed that our family was a bit left of center in our cleaning fun and it turns out we were good with it every step of the way.

 

This happened recently and I was transported back in time. 

Take a breath with me and let’s see what can come as the strumming continues. 

 

As I sat in a comfy chair, I heard loud dance music wafting up the stairs. 

 

It was as if the cleaning and dancing time was back on a Saturday. 

 

I waited for a moment and then saw that it was truly happening in our house. 

 

It brought a calm moment and then I realized I was breathing a bit deeper again. 

Strum strum strum, ping.

 

Was I going to hear pounding feet and bursts of laughter next?  

Not from the Tall One, and yet our own laughter was here with grand memories of the golden years that came along with what I began to realize. 

 

Actually, this is the thing that happens every time we clean, and I had taken it for granted. 

Why does that happen? 

 

I had lived in a space without paying attention for a little too long. 

The connections needed to be made again.

The connections needed to be made again as I sat a bit left of center on this day.

 

Here is what I learned. 

 

It pays to be reminded of what keeps me centered even when it may seem different from others. 

 

Playing music loud enough to rattle the windows is when I start to feel calm. 

 

Being left of center can also feel like being wrapped in a warm blanket. 

Look for the things that mean something to me and the ones who are dear to me. 

 

Listening for laughter may be the time to create it. 

 

The things I take for granted always take my breath away. It is when I come back from this realization that I then look up and get to this next step. 

 

Play, be, look, listen. 

 

Yes, my friends, with music and being left of center.