It ceases to amaze me how time flies. It seems like just yesterday I was celebrating the new year of 2011 with friends in Iowa. Now, 2011 is nearly over. Yet, as I reflect on the past year, I realize I have so much to be thankful for, especially because 2011 has brought many three-year mile stones. It has been three years since I’ve lived in Maryland, three years that I’ve worked professionally for the labor movement, and three years that I’ve proven to myself just how strong of a person I really am. This November, though, marks an especially poignant anniversary: it’s been three years since I started dancing hula.
In some ways, it doesn’t seem possible that it’s been this long. And in other ways, it feels as though hula has been with me my entire life. What makes hula so special is the fact that it is more than just a dance or a discipline. For me, hula is a friend. It is constantly challenging my body and my mind, but it is true in spirit and in heart. I could say that what I put into hula I get out of it, but I’d be lying, for this art form has given me so much more.
It wasn’t long after I first started dancing that I faced one most trying experiences of my life. When it seemed as though the world was crumbling around me and I had nothing left, I danced. Hula picked me up from rock bottom and gave my life meaning and purpose. Through dance, I was able to safely explore and express devastatingly crushing emotions without fear of judgment or persecution.
Today, the healing process continues but I have come oh so far thanks, in part, to dancing. For me, hula is and always will be therapy for the soul.
No comments:
Post a Comment