This I Believe

I believe a lot of things, some things I'm really love - like the gospel of Jesus Christ. Find out what I believe by clicking on the "I'm a Mormon" box over in the sidebar! Other things, I might be a little embarrassed about, like if I'm under the covers, I'm totally safe.

This I Believe was a five-minute CBS Radio Network program hosted by journalist Edward R. Murrow from 1951 to 1955. Then a half-hour European version of This I Believe ran from 1956 to 1958 over Radio Luxembourg. Now it's home is National Public Radio, NPR. There's also a This I Believe website, thisibelive.org. I recommend going over and reading some of the essays, I've really liked the ones I've read.

In my english class we're asked to write an This I Believe essay. This is mine.

Dancing It Out

I believe in dancing it out. I believe it helps work through emotions in a way nothing else can.       

I don’t remember what happened at my first dance class, but I remember the feelings it gave me. I felt like I belonged. I felt beautiful in my brand new ballet shoes, tights, skirt, and leotard with my hair in a bun. I felt like I was actually good at something. As the weeks went on I loved learning a new routine. Mastering routines made me feel accomplished. I loved performing on stage. I loved everything about it, even the pre-show butterflies. I loved dance so much I was certified by the Royal Academy of Dancing. It was the best day of my life.

Soon after my certification my life changed, and dancing took a back seat for more important family things. My parents adopted three boys from Russia who became the siblings I had prayed for, for years. My dad got a new job and we moved across the country.  I was adjusting to a new life and didn’t make organized dance a priority. Three years after our move, my brother died in a one-car accident. I never bothered finding a new dance studio once things finally settled down. Eventually I forgot how much joy dancing had brought me, since I had buried it so deep down inside of me.

It wasn’t until I was watching Grey’s Anatomy that I remembered. I know, remembering while watching a medical drama is strange. But when Cristina got Meredith to dance it out after a hard day, I felt myself connect to them. That day had been exhausting. I was a junior with few to no friends. It was made abundantly clear to me when I was not invited to hang out with all the other Mormon kids at my school before a football game. To top it off, I was having a hard time understanding what we were learning in chemistry. Sure, I hadn’t lost a patient or seen the man I loved going home with his wife, but somehow it was like we were all on the same crappy level. I felt like Cristina got me, she and Meredith understood me, when she said, “Mer, you just need to dance it out. It’ll make everything okay.”

Sometimes, life is too hard to write or talk or sing about. But you don’t have to say anything when you dance it out. You just put on a good song and dance. It doesn’t have to be pretty; it just needs to get you moving. Dancing is like exercise; it releases endorphins and makes you happy. For that moment you are happy and you forget what is weighing you down. When you finally come back to reality, you can deal with whatever may be troubling you with more control. More times than not, when I put on a song and dance it out, everything comes into focus and I don’t feel overwhelmed or angry, or even sad anymore. Instead, I feel determined. I know that I can get through whatever is coming my way. That is why I believe in dancing it out.

from MerylFox94