I found out yesterday that someone actually reads my blog! That's good because there were a few times where I was about to post with too much abandon of my inhibitions because I really had no idea if anyone was following this or not. It'd be easy to let this public blog slip into the realm of public journal--yeeshka! Look out!
Anyway, here's something neat that I wanted to tell you about:
Upon joining my major's student association, SFLSA, I saw some Valentine's Day volunteer opportunities that I was interested it. I signed up to attend a dance on the fifteenth at a hospital where we'd be cheering up the patients. What could be better? Dancing with and serving people who definitely need a happy, sparky girl with a big smile to help them decide that life's not so bad? :)
I looked at the address and didn't even know that there was a hospital at that location--weird. Tuesday night, I drove to the hospital and when I got there, I found out it wasn't a medical hospital, it was a mental hospital.
It caught me off guard and I was a little apprehensive, but I wasn't too worried--just surprised. There weren't very many other volunteers there initially (as the night went on, more arrived and joined us) and the ones that were there were a little leery to be dancing. (I think we all know the feeling of being one of the fifteen or twenty people at a dance and feeling like a moron for actually "getting your groove on." (Yes, I just said that; yes, I DO get my groove on; and I would submit to you to go home tonight, take off your shoes, close your blinds, lock the door, crank up the Backstreet Boys in the kitchen, and get YOUR groove on... Just an idea.)) But we danced anyway, and gradually the residents started to feel comfortable enough with us to come out onto the floor and join the party.
It was amazing to see how therapeutic it was for both the volunteers and for the patients! Letting down our walls and throwing caution to the wind in front of complete strangers--it was awesome! I was inspired by the residents and how they were willing and able to completely put themselves out there--they didn't hesitate to go out in the middle of the circle and throw down some crazy break-dance move, or in a few cases, some pretty skilled ballet! As they danced and let loose, it was so neat to see their own personalities come out more from behind the wall erected by their respective illnesses.
Hands down, the best dance that I've been to in many years! The DJ was absolutely incredible--I couldn't have asked for a better, funner, mix of music; it was glorious to be at a dance void of people bumping and grinding and engaging all manner of social atrocities; everyone there was inspiring the best in each other and motivating each other to release their inhibitions...AWE-SOME; making the residents smile and helping them bust out of their shells and bust a move was pretty much the greatest thing ever; and it was so fun to be with the other volunteers--I felt like I was complete pals with these incredible people without even knowing their names!
Good criminy, I had a wonderful night. Thank you, SFLSA, for such an incredible opportunity and a fun night! And for any of you reading, you never know what you'll learn in the middle of the dance floor... When you get the choice to sit it out or dance, I hope you dance.
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