Dancing
with the star(s) – My granddaughter and me
Last
night I had the distinct pleasure of dancing (for a short period of time) with
my granddaughter. My oldest
granddaughter and oldest grandson participated in a talent show at their
elementary school and did a great job singing their favorite song. As part of
the grand finale the 4th grade class did a tribute to their
schoolmates and teachers. Every 4th
grader who participated in the talent show picked someone to do a quick dance
with and my granddaughter picked me.
When she asked me a few weeks ago I immediately said yes. There was no hesitation, I didn’t even think
about it. I was waiting for this day
since she was a baby. The day I could
dance with her in public showing off my love for her.
“Pappy,
will you dance with me at our talent show?”
Me: “Yes!”
Then the
fun began as we prepared for the big day.
Every time I was off on a trip out of town I would tell her that I was
going off to practice with Beyonce or Jennifer Lopez. I am not sure why but she never believed
me. I would send her a note telling her
that the practices went well but for some reason, she never seemed to believe
me. Maybe it was dance style or maybe
she really knew that I didn’t need to practice with a star. Maybe it is because my mom taught me how to
dance with a style that can only be appreciated by a mom and her son. A style that matches nothing but we had fun
doing.
From the
moment she asked me to dance with her I counted down the days until the event day
would arrive. I knew the day in my mind
and heart plus had it on my calendar with multiple reminders. Nothing would interfere with me dancing with
my granddaughter! In my mind I practiced
and in my free time I practiced (how hard is it to do 4 moves but I didn’t want
to mess up). :D
The day
of the event arrived and I kept watching the clock to ensure that I didn’t
leave late. As the hour of departure
ticked closer and closer, the excitement in my heart grew and I could feel my
heart “smiling”. I left early and
arrived one hour early to the event. I was not going to be late for any
reason. Yes, I brought my camera gear and
set-up in one of the side aisles and took pictures of the other kids for my
grandkids to remember as well as video of them.
However, throughout the show my mind was on the moment that I would step
on the stage with my granddaughter. As
each child performed various acts during the talent show my mind and body moved
and listened to each dance song to ensure that I was in the ‘zone’. There was no celebrity on “Dancing with the Stars”
that anticipated the moment in the same manner that I anticipated the moment
that I could dance with my granddaughter.
There is no celebrity that I would want to dance with more than my
granddaughter. In my mind, all of my
family is celebrity/royalty.
Leading
up to the night, I was told we would be more than half way into the crowd of
dancers before we hit the stage. I
thought this is good so I can see a little what others were doing but in my
heart I wanted to be first. Yes, the
competitive and show boat side of me was coming through. I handed my camera to my son in law to capture
the first pictures of my granddaughter and me on stage together. I looked to my
other daughter (his wife) and she had a big smile on her face as she held her
daughter and as her son leaned against both of them. My wife sat near my oldest daughter and my
sister in law asked if I was nervous. “Me
nervous to get in front of an auditorium filled with people? No!”
My heart was pounding in anticipation but not nervousness. Then my oldest daughter pointed to her
daughter, my granddaughter and indicated that we would not be in the middle of
the group but first. “Yes!” I could feel
my heart say and my mind shout! With a
smile on my face and joy in my step, I moved to the front of the line. I would be first on stage with my
granddaughter. No one would have the
opportunity to be with their special person before me. I was so excited that I almost felt ashamed
to gloat in my heart that I would have the distinct privilege of dancing with
her. I would dance with my granddaughter
before the others danced with their special person. I could feel the tears of joy swell up in my
eyes and had to push them back. Yes, the
moment was here. The music played and I could
feel the beat in mind. I looked across
the long stage to her and she had a huge smile on her face. We were on opposite sides of the stage and
would each climb a few steps onto the stage and join each other in the middle
of the stage for a quick dance. Similar
to the cha cha shuffle. Slide to the
left, slide to the right, shake your hand to the left and shake to the right
then give her a huge bear hug! I asked
the lady who was one of the parents in charge – “I move to the left first
correct?” Her response with a big smile –
“If that is what you planned.” Then this
is when it hit me, everyone had their own move.
This dance is one that my granddaughter picked for us! Up until this time I thought everyone was
doing the same. Nope! Every short dance was different.
Then the
moment arrived, the parent in charge looked to me and nodded stating; “are you
ready?” Was I ready? That was like asking a kid if they wanted
their favorite ice cream for dinner. It
was like asking a sports fan if they wanted to spend time with their favorite
team. “Yes!” I was ready. She told me
that when we were done that I was to go to the end of the line. Why? I
would get to join the stage with her a second time. Wow! I
could not believe it. I am not sure if
my feet were even on the floor at this point.
I could
hear a few parents stating to others, I am more nervous than the kids and I
heard teen age girl proudly state that she was dancing with her sister. Yes! Sisters having fun together!
As I
waited, the photographer covering the event (Jimmy Ross) smiled to me (since we
know each other) and shook my hand.
The lead
mom looked to me and I started toward the steps, watching each step to ensure
that I didn’t end up missing one and falling flat on my face embarrassing my
granddaughter. My feet didn’t seem to
hit the steps and as soon as I placed my right foot on the stage, my mind told
my feet to skip and skip I did all across the stage to my granddaughter where
we met in the middle. I am not sure if
anyone else could see it but I am sure my smile went from ear to ear and around
the back of my head. My heart pounded
with joy and my mind sang with the music.
Slide to
the left, slide to the right
Shake your left hand and shake your right hand
Shake your left hand and shake your right hand
Then
give her the biggest hug imaginable.
I turned
to the left and floated skipped off the stage.
I went
to the back of the line and watched the others join their special person on
stage with their special person. As the line moved, I could feel the anticipation
and join swell up in my heart again and then I am at the front of the line
again. Our next task was to go on stage,
embrace then go to the back wall on the stage to join in a farewell wave. Yes! I was on stage again with her!
I was at
the base of the steps and could see her across the stage. It was time, I floated up the steps bouncing
toward her and gave her a huge hug and could not believe that I had the honor
of being on stage twice with my granddaughter in one night. Before getting on stage the second time, I
was told to go stand under the “Y” after I joined her. The “Y” in Hollywood on
the sign at the back of the stage. We
would be in the center of the stage together for all of the pictures. Yes!
We went
to the back of the stage after embracing in the middle of the stage and headed
to the “Y”. I was to stand and she would
kneel in front of me as we looked to the crowd and other kids. We held hands waving them back and
forth. I didn’t want to let go.
I know
that my smile was from ear to ear. As the others joined the stage, we bounced
back and forth. My legs and heart filled
with excitement and joy. I could feel
her heart pounding in her hands as I held her them and it reminded me when I
held her little hands when she was a baby.
It was the same tight embrace that a child automatically does when
someone places their hand or finger within their grasp as they felt the heart
of another human. I smiled and
smiled. There is no doubt in my mind
that this is the same smile and joy that a gold medal winner has when they
achieve one of their life’s goals. The
major difference, the joy in my heart is based on the love toward my family. Oh
how the Lord has blessed me! What
greater joy is there than this than to spend precious time with your family?
As I
type this my cheeks are covered in tears of joy and the tears flow from my cheeks
to my keyboard. I thank you Lord for
giving to me the greatest gift other than salvation and that is the gift of my
family.
A
special thanks to my wife for sowing into the lives of our family!
There is
so much more to write about last night but that will be left for another
day. I hope my granddaughter will
remember this night as much as I will remember it.
