A country crossover song by LeeAnn Womack became a music sensation when my son was in High School. The accompanying music video portrayed a mother imparting learned wisdom to her young children. With many life experiences already under my belt, and the knowledge of shattered dreams and broken promises, I encouraged my son with these words in his Senior Yearbook:

                     “There is a time for everything,
                       and a season for every activity under the heavens;

                       a time to weep and a time to laugh,
                       a time to mourn and a time to dance.”
                                                              (Eccl. 3:1,4)

                                 I Hope You Dance!

  Little did I know that in just a couple of years we would be struggling through one of those seasons as my husband battled cancer. What should have been a fun-filled season in my son’s life was interrupted as he left college to come and be with us. The impact of facing mortality radically changed many of his life goals. He made a decision soon after that the young woman who stood beside him sharing this painful time was the woman he wanted beside him to share the rest of his life!

  Less than a year after my husband passed away, my son entered a new season of his life and married the woman he knew would be there no matter what. At the reception he took my hands and reminded me of the words I wrote in his yearbook. As he brushed away my tears, the song for our mother-son dance began; LeeAnn Womack singing “I Hope You Dance”

  We have both faced more trials and seasons of heartache as well as laughter, as everyone will throughout their lives, but this past week I came face to face with the underlying message that I tried to impart. I was visiting a Senior Citizen’s home with a group in Guatemala. As we struggled through the language barrier trying to carry on some semblance of conversation I hit a cord of commonality with a new found friend in his 80’s. Jorge and I both enjoyed dancing! This turned into a frantic plea to find music. No radios were to be found. Finally, thank God for technology, someone whipped out their phone and the fiesta began.
                                                                                                             
                                               Jorge and I danced & danced!

  We tried to encourage others to join us. My exuberant partner wanted everyone to share in this momentary joy that interrupted their bleak afternoon. I don’t know if I have ever seen such willingness to shake off life’s struggles and replace it with laughter as I did in Jorge that afternoon. He reminded me that we have a choice, we all face sickness, loneliness, heartache, trials of every kind, yes, sometimes even death, but through it all we can still choose to pick ourselves back up, and meet the next season in our lives with the exuberance and fight to find music ….

  Because it really doesn’t really matter if you are a senior in High School or a Senior Citizen

                                            There is a time for everything,
                                             and a season for every activity under the heavens;

                                            a time to weep and a time to laugh,
                                            a time to mourn and a time to dance.”
                                                                                    (Eccl. 3:1,4)

                                               And I Hope You Dance!

Love,

Pazazdance