I hope you Dance

There is a song by LeeAnn Womack called "I hope you dance". I love to listen to that song. It reminds me that every day brings a chance for me to draw in a breath, kick off my shoes, and step out and dance--to live free of regret and filled with as much joy, fun and laughter as I can stand.
You can either waltz boldly onto the floor of life and live the way you know your spirit is nudging you to, or you can sit quietly by the wall, receding in the shadows of fear and self-doubt. You have the choice this very moment--the only moment you have for certain. Are you dancing in the light or fading in the dark? If your life ended tomorrow, what would you regret not doing? If this were the last day of your life, would you spend it the way you're spending today?? When was the last time you laughed with a friend till your sides hurt?
I once read a quote that caught my attention. It said, "He who dies with the most toys is still dead." Anyone who has ever come close to death can tell you that at the end of your life, you probably won't be reminiscing about how many all nighters you pulled at work or how much your mutual fund is worth. The thoughts that linger are the "if only" questions, like who could I have become if I had finally done the things I always wanted to do? The gift of deciding to face your mortality without turning away or flinching is the gift of recognizing that because you will die, you MUST live now. Whether you flounder or flourish is always in your hands--you are the single biggest influence in your life.
And your journey begins with a choice to get up, step out, and live fully. I hope you don't get so wrapped up in nonessential stuff that you forget to really enjoy yourself--because this moment is about to be over. I hope you'll look back and remember this as the time when you decided to make every one of your moments count, to relish each day as if there would never be another. And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance, I hope you dance.

I Hope You Dance - Lee Ann Womack