For the last three months I was determined to get some things done that had been put off for too long. Unfortunately I didn't accomplish all I'd hoped. In the meantime I racked my poor brain for some topics to write about. I'm always looking for something different, something entertaining, amusing or maybe subtly instructional. With politics being the hot topic for months, it can be hard to come up with something that would interest others and avoid verbal war.
I like to watch the nightly news. They usually end their broadcast with a "feel good" story that lets you forget about the bad things going on in the world, even if it is just a few minutes. Earlier this week, something did catch my attention. It had to do with football and a running back for the Baltimore Ravens. Alex Collins has found for himself an interesting and challenging "hobby" if you will.
Everybody has a hobby in mind, or two or three, they would love to indulge in. Sometimes circumstances won't allow you to follow it because of time constraints, or maybe a budget that can't handle another dent. Other times you can just dive right in. Somewhere along the line, it's very likely that hobby might very well be tied to a career, sometimes in the oddest ways.
Getting back to Alex... He took an interest in Irish dancing and it's paid off for him on the football field. He can run faster and is more agile at avoiding members of the other team. This type of dancing takes up a lot of energy and you need good balance and posture since most of the dancing is done on the front part of your feet. When he was first learning, Alex says the kids teased him but now they dance with him and have fun.
It reminds me of a series that was on TV some years ago, called Fame. It focused on a group of high school kids attending a school similar to Julliard. One particular episode dealt with a football team from another school, touring the Fame high school. After watching a dance class, a couple athletes sneered and said anyone could do what the dancers did. With support from the teacher and the team's coach, a time and date was set and the challenge was on. By the end of the series of competitions, the football players were exhausted, and amazed that the dancers could keep up and in some cases surpass them. Lesson learned.
Dancing isn't as easy as it looks. But there's something to be said about the rigid moves of Irish dance and the sound of taps (not to be confused with tap dancing) keeping the rhythm even when there's no musical accompaniment. I've always found it mesmerizing
If I were a few years younger and not such a klutz... (Klutz is the wrong word here. Some people lack a certain grace when they move about and I'm definitely one of them.) I might have given it a try. The point is, life is fleeting and we should make the most of whatever time we have. Find what makes you happy, whether it burns a lot of energy or provides quiet distractions. Then run with it. Or if you're like me, you have a bunch of things you love to do and not enough time to do them all. Now, I'll just sit back with needle and thread and finish my embroidery project.
