It’s Not Too Late – I’m Gonna Dance
July 24, 2010 by Barbara Jacoby
Filed under Creating Happiness, Recent Posts
I don’t know how many of you watch the show, “So You Think You Can Dance”, but I have been enjoying it for many seasons and it always seems to inspire something in me. This year is no different. As an outgrowth of the show, next Saturday, July 31, 2010 has been declared “National Dance Day” and there is a movement on to get everyone up and moving. If you check out the website, you will see where events have been organized throughout the country or you can put your own party or gathering together or you can just get up and dance all by yourself.
As I was watching one of the shows the other night from earlier in the season, a young man who had shown up for an audition in the past was featured in a special presentation on the show. Bryan Gaynor has scoliosis and just about any movement that he does is a real source of pain in his spine. However, his love of dance has overshadowed this and he continues to push himself to his limits, pain and all. What an inspiration!!!
The National Dance Day and this performer got me to thinking about the times when I was a child when I really wanted to learn how to tap dance. Although I did not have the opportunity while growing up, I did give it a try on a couple of occasions in the past but never got past a couple of classes because whomever I enticed to try it with me always ended up dropping out and subsequently, so did I.
The next thought I had was that this was still something that I wish I had had the opportunity to do but now I was too old to do so. After all my teens and ‘20’s, etc. were long gone. But I still have this desire to tap dance. As I thought about the young man who pursued his dancing dreams even with the pain of scoliosis, I asked myself why I shouldn’t give it a try. I had no answer. I could go to my grave still wanting to tap dance or I could choose to just do it. My choice is that it is not too late to dance because I still have two good legs and a desire that just won’t go away. So this coming week, I will find a person who is willing to teach tap dancing to me and I will be following the dream that I have held for all of these years.
I would like for all of you dreamers to join me. I know that your desire most likely is not tap dancing but how about if you would think of something that you have always wanted to do and just decide to do it. Whatever it may be, it is never too late. It doesn’t have to become your future career or it doesn’t have to be something that you share with others and it is not a choice that should be made by anyone else. And if you do choose to try something that you have always wanted to do and it turns out to be something that you find that you really don’t want to pursue over a period of time, you can always walk away with the knowledge that you gave it a try and now you no longer have to wonder “what if”.
For those who choose to join me in doing something that you have wanted to do but have not done so until now, I would love to hear from you. Please share with me your choice and what you are planning to do as I really would enjoy following your endeavors, and if you approve, I would like to share your journey with others in the hope that they, too, might be inspired to follow a dream.
Is it ever too late to follow your dreams? SHARE
Hi,
I read your post and I can relate completely. Since I was a kid I wanted to be a dancer. But life happens and sometimes you have to prioritize your time and decide what’s the most practical thing to do to become productive. In my case I became what allowed me to get a job fast and earn an income to support myself and help family. However, now I realize that if you have a passion for something you should find the way to pursue it. As we see in many inspiring stories such as the one you showed us.
I am 41 years old and I know few people who started dancing in their late 30s or even older, who have achieved great things after 5 years. These are people who started dancing as part of a christian ministry, and even though it is not professional dancing, it’s done with such excellence that it is even more inspiring because it’s done for a cause greater than personal fulfillment. And in that I have found that it is not too late when the purpose is greater than ourselves. I have found the inspiration I needed to pursue dancing. I wish you the best in your quest and thank you for sharing this post.
What a wonderful story. Thank you so very much for sharing. Who cares about whether doing something that you have always wanted to do results in a professional career. Following a dream – doing something that you always wanted to do – that is what is more important. And in this case to want to dance and to also make it part of a special mission is certainly a win-win situation. I am so glad that you have found the inspiration that you needed to dance and I hope that others who read this will also not only pursue their dreams but maybe find a way to tie it to a purpose as you have done.