While traveling home the other evening, I approached a car from behind. As I looked forward, I could see that the young lady in the vehicle was car dancing. What is car dancing, you may ask? It is when you do dance moves with your upper body while driving a car.
I must say the young woman was doing a great job of car dancing. All I could see was her head, shoulders and arms but all of them were working in coordination. She most definitely had rhythm. What type of music she was listening to I could not tell but based on some of the finger pointing and hand gestures I would guess it was some type of Hip-Hop music.
As I drove behind the woman, I couldn't help but smile as I remembered my younger years when I quite often did my best Fred Astaire impersonation while traveling from one place to the other. Looking back on it now, I am reminded of the sense of freedom and joy that permeated those roadway rumbas. Nothing like singing at the top of your lungs while cavorting around to your favorite song. All while enjoying your first taste of freedom that is only experienced by a teenager with their first car.
Why do we lose this zest as we age?
Why do we worry more about our W2 than enjoying great music from U2?
According to The United Nations' world population projections, the average life expectancy for a citizen of the U.S.A. is 78.87 years. That ain't a lot of time folks. Think of it as only getting to enjoy 79 summers. Or spending 79 Christmases with your loved ones. Or watching 79 Super Bowls.
Our time here is finite so shouldn't we strive to enjoy it more? Many of us look back fondly at our youth and feel like we can't experience those types of emotions anymore. Now we are concerned about the performance of our 401k instead of how the Z28 performs from zero to sixty.
We read labels and look for low carb, no gluten and fat free. Remember when our biggest food concern was if it was pizza day in the school cafeteria?
The fear of crow's feet and age spots has replaced the thrill of wearing make-up for the first time or hoping your girlfriend notices the new peach fuzz mustache you have been growing.
We fight over which political plan is right. We fight over current events and agendas. In our youth, all we did was fight for our right to party, as the Beastie Boys would say.
We all need to relax a little. Enjoy life a little more. So whether you are doing the Buick Boogie, the Honda Hustle or the Tesla Tango, dance more. Sing out loud. Be impulsive. Remember that kid who didn't have a care in the world and be that person for a little while every day.
"In all of living, have much fun and laughter. Life is to be enjoyed, not just endured."
- Gordon B. Hinckley
Editorial on 02/09/2020