Weekly Writing Challenge: 1,000 Words

 

I Want To Dance, Too!

 

Dance, little one!  Dance to the music in your soul as though nobody else is looking!  Dance to the tune in your heart!  Rest a minute if you must, but not too long!  Soon the drum beat will sound, the notes will fill the air with a melody so sweet!  Join the circle and shine like the sun! 

When I was small, I knew only possibilities!  Every sound was music, every word was poetry, every creature was my friend!  I awakened each morning eager to begin . . . then I grew a little older and the world around me began to look different.  I felt different.  Different . . . once a word which defined new discoveries, new opportunities, adventures, new friends, suddenly felt like something else.  Like the little green creature with the pointed nose, it seemed everything around me pointed at me and the words I heard were not poetry anymore.  Now, they warned me that I wasn’t like other people.  The music which before had beckoned me to join the rest and dance to a happy tune had become a neon sign which said  “keep out.”  Suddenly, all the world seemed to point me toward a mirror of my faults and instead of approaching the circle to join in and dance to the happy tune, I huddled in a corner and watched.  The hands seemed eager to link together and close the gap in a desire to leave me out, and I allowed them to do so.  It hurt, but I denied this telling myself I didn’t care, but still when the music played, my in secret heart I wanted to dance, too.

Dance, little one!  Dance to the music in your soul as though nobody else is looking!  Dance to the tune in your heart!  Rest a minute if you must, but not too long!  Soon the drum beat will sound, the notes will fill the air with a melody so sweet!  Join the circle and shine like the sun! 

The others seemed to be having so much fun.  It seemed as though everyone belonged and it suddenly seemed everyone “had it all.”  Everyone but me.  The words which used to sound like poetry now seemed to tease and then to taunt me with their labels . . . the image in the mirror seemed to reflect a misfit.  It never used to do that.  When did I change?  What did I do?  How did this happen?  Something was missing, but where did it go and how do I get it back?  Was it my hair? Could it be my clothes?  Oh, perhaps the shape of my nose?  There and then I would hear the music begin again and my toes would begin to ever so gently and discretely tap to its beat until I realized this and stopped.  They might see.  Oh, what would they say?  But still, in my secret heart I wanted to dance, too.

Dance, little one!  Dance to the music in your soul as though nobody else is looking!  Dance to the tune in your heart!  Rest a minute if you must, but not too long!  Soon the drum beat will sound, the notes will fill the air with a melody so sweet!  Join the circle and shine like the sun! 

As the circle floated about in its merry way, suddenly it seemed a pointed effort to escape away from me.  The circle of life had for me begun to be one of coldness where once had been such warmth and opportunity.  Sleep came still, in the night, yet dreams of cotton candy were replaced with something far less sweet and the gentle and inviting melodies sounded more like fingers crashing on the piano keys!  Crash . . . crash . . . crash!   Awakening with a start, I would find another day had begun but would this be a new beginning or a sorrowful reminder of yesterday and the day before.  Surely mirrors don’t lie?  Morning’s melody in those earliest moments of the day still had brief reminders of a happy tune from long ago and I wanted to dance, too.

Dance, little one!  Dance to the music in your soul as though nobody else is looking!  Dance to the tune in your heart!  Rest a minute if you must, but not too long!  Soon the drum beat will sound, the notes will fill the air with a melody so sweet!  Join the circle and shine like the sun! 

What would happen if I left my spot in the corner of the world?  What would happen if I approached the circle?  From my hiding place, I could see the happy smiles.  Would there be one for me?  Let me dance with you!   But inwardly I heard the shush as voices seemed to whisper, “look who’s coming!”  The circle seemed to spin faster and faster and I couldn’t seem to reach it and join in.  But I wanted to dance, too!

Dance, little one!  Dance to the music in your soul as though nobody else is looking!  Dance to the tune in your heart!  Rest a minute if you must, but not too long!  Soon the drum beat will sound, the notes will fill the air with a melody so sweet!  Join the circle and shine like the sun! 

Then, one day I noticed something new.  Clouds in the sky of my soul seemed to dissipate and as the circle danced around and around the faces and brightly colored costumes began to blend together in such a special way.  It seemed that what so clearly stood out before the music played had, once the dancing stated,  blended together in such a pretty way!  Forgetting myself, I rose up and danced just beside the rest.  Something new happened that day . . . the music suddenly paused a moment and one gentle hand reached out to mine and then another!  Different became unique.  Unique became special.  The music started up again and this time, I was part of the circle and I danced, too!