Wednesday, September 9, 2009

Sometimes you've just got to dance!

Put yourself in the shoes of a high school student and ask yourself this. What are you to do when you are given a 20 minute break in the middle of the day? If you said avoid social contact by plugging into your iPod or texting a remote person instead of talking to those people right next to you than you need to visit India. Navratri is right around the corner, it literally means nine nights. It’s a festival that last for I forget how many nights and you can be sure to hear more about it in a couple of weeks. This was recorded this morning when the entire school joined together in an unprompted celebration of the traditional Navratri Garba dance. It looks like fun. Now the students don’t dance every day at this time, but there is always a celebration of some kind or another. I mean the way they do things is a celebration, a cricket match, a game of tug-o-war, a musical performance, just kids or young adults having a blast, enjoying each other’s company, not being too embarrassed to dance, and living passionately in the moment. These students do have stresses in their lives as well, huge stresses, just like anywhere, but during my stay here I have not heard a student once use these stresses as an explanation for why their life sucks so much or why nobody ‘gets’ them. I remember being in high school and loving it, I miss the energy and the enthusiasm I use to have for life, I was invincible the world was mine and nobody could tell me that something was out of reach. So what has changed in the last ten years of my life to make me feel differently? Financial responsibility? Pressure to excel professionally? Keeping up with the Jonsers? Whatever it is I felt like in some way I got a little bit of me back today. Wherever you are it is never too late to change your outlook on life.

6 comments:

  1. Woo hoo! looks like a good dancing opportunity to me - can teachers join in??? Go for it!! Life is about 10 percent action and 90 percent our reaction to it!! India, apparently, not only "happens", but can be one of those life changers! And bring some of that home with you. Love you, mom

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  2. I love it! So glad you have found your old self again. Hold onto that feeling the next time someone behind you lays on their horn!

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  3. Enjoy the dance, James. I hope Piyush is having fun but I have not seen him at lunch since I gave him a cannoli. Sorry Piyush. I will have to make eggplant soon.
    -btw I almost got kudos at a department meeting, but Marilee forgot what she was going to say :) I guess that will all end when St. James returns. Looking forward to it!

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  4. James I gotta be honest. I haven't known you as long as your other friends, but if you're telling me that there used to be a time when you had a greater zeal for life, and more energy than you do lately...I'm definitely getting off my butt...you run circles around people man!

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  5. That is awesome!! Listening to you reminds me of being in college and just embracing everything new and exciting around you. You are very fortunate to be having these experiences!! Enjoy it! You deserve it! You work hard and you are a great person!! We miss you!
    Maria

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  6. That's inspiring man, brings a smile to my face!

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