Dancing and Dixie Electric Company

I love disco. Yes, it's true. Back in college, my roommates and I worked at Dixie Electric Company, an old bowling alley turned cool disco in Perrysburg, Ohio. Complete with strobe lights, a disco ball, smoke machines and sirens, this place was the place to be in the late 70's. It was really hard to call it a job. Whether it was waiting on tables, making pizzas, ticket booth or popcorn booth, the "work" was just a way to experience the fullness of the disco scene. It was indubitably a highlight of my college career.

I always loved when I got to work the popcorn booth. The popcorn booth was really a cover up job for being able to make quick visits to the dance floor. By my standards, it was a "win" when I got to work popcorn. Those great songs will forever be with me....I Will Survive, Disco Inferno, Turn the Beat Around, Brick House. It was when YMCA by the Village People or Stayin' Alive by the Bee Gees came on, I would go CRAZY! Without thinking, I was known to run down to the dance floor all the while forgetting my popcorn duties. It wasn't until I started smelling something burning and would look up to see smoke coming from my booth, that I realized my transgression. There were many a night that I burned at least one batch. Glad I wasn't fired.

Back then, I was without guile. Free to be me. I loved to dance! Dancing is in my genes. I couldn't get enough of it! I didn't care what people thought of me! As time has marched on, however, I find it harder to be free. You know... needing to present a certain image. Appear together. Act adult. Fearful of what others might think. I have a feeling a lot of us have become way too grown up!

An opportune time to recall the Old Irish Proverb: "Dance like no one is watching. Sing like no one is listening. Love like you've never been hurt and live life every day as if it were your last." I like that Proverb, but how does one live this way? We tend to fret if someone is watching. We wonder if someone is listening. We hate when other people hurt us. And it's hard to not squander away days doing meaningless things.

This past week, I've been pondering the attributes of God in Psalm 139. I underlined all the times I saw the word "You" referring to God in the Psalm. You know. You perceive. You discern. You are familiar. You hem me in. When I refocus my attention to God, I'm free to be me. I stop worrying about what people think. Carefully consider where your focus is today. Is it on what others think of you? On the problems in your life? On your lack? The key is knowing where to look. God longs for your attention to be on HIM. He delights in having a relationship with you! God loves you to the moon and back. And with God, there is absolute freedom to be you! Come on. Dance like no one is watching. I dare you!

Nancy Abbott is the Chaplain for the YMCA of Greater San Antonio.