Standing out in a crowd! I like this photo (that I randomly found online & am unable to give photo credit for), as I've been thinking about the willingness to defy the ordinary. To be who you are, how you are, wherever you are. In my last post I mentioned that "social pressure dictates I sit passively on the TTC" and since writing that, I've been noticing people who disregard such social pressure (or maybe aren't even aware of it). Yesterday I saw a young guy wearing big headphones, fully getting his groove on on the Bloor-Danforth line. He made me and everyone around him smile. I wish I could do that. But I'm such a social chameleon and despite the performer in me, in most situations, I prefer to not be the centre of attention. If everyone were as free and dancing weren't such a "strange" thing to do in public, maybe I could also dance my way to work!?
This reminds me of the Dance Walking movement inspired by Ben Aaron and the Nameless Guru Dance Walk Master (whose name turns out to be Joe). Since the Dance Walking video went viral, several groups in cities world-wide have organized Dance Walks (including Toronto; spearheaded by my teacher Erica Ross) and it's become an international dance-craze! I haven't tried it yet...but I really want to!
Celebrating in the streets and the colourful interruption of hectic city-living is something I truly idealize. I can't say that I do enough of it, but I LOVE the concept and want it to happen more often!
There's an amazing essay by Thomas Merton called 'The Street is for Celebration' that I often re-read that sparks a certain passion in me. Here are a few lines from that essay:
"Celebration is when we let joy make itself out of our love. We like to be together. We like to dance together. We like to make pretty and amusing things. We like to laugh at what we have made. We like to put bright colors on the walls–more bright colors on ourselves. We like our pictures, they are crazy.
Celebration is crazy: the craziness of not submitting, even though “they,” “the others,” the ones who make life impossible, seem to have all the power. Celebration is the beginning of confidence, therefore of power.
When we laugh at them, when we celebrate, when we make our lives beautiful, when we give one another joy by loving, by sharing, then we manifest a power they cannot touch. We can be artisans of a joy they never imagined".
--Thomas Merton
This reminds me of the Dance Walking movement inspired by Ben Aaron and the Nameless Guru Dance Walk Master (whose name turns out to be Joe). Since the Dance Walking video went viral, several groups in cities world-wide have organized Dance Walks (including Toronto; spearheaded by my teacher Erica Ross) and it's become an international dance-craze! I haven't tried it yet...but I really want to!
Celebrating in the streets and the colourful interruption of hectic city-living is something I truly idealize. I can't say that I do enough of it, but I LOVE the concept and want it to happen more often!
There's an amazing essay by Thomas Merton called 'The Street is for Celebration' that I often re-read that sparks a certain passion in me. Here are a few lines from that essay:
"Celebration is when we let joy make itself out of our love. We like to be together. We like to dance together. We like to make pretty and amusing things. We like to laugh at what we have made. We like to put bright colors on the walls–more bright colors on ourselves. We like our pictures, they are crazy.
Celebration is crazy: the craziness of not submitting, even though “they,” “the others,” the ones who make life impossible, seem to have all the power. Celebration is the beginning of confidence, therefore of power.
When we laugh at them, when we celebrate, when we make our lives beautiful, when we give one another joy by loving, by sharing, then we manifest a power they cannot touch. We can be artisans of a joy they never imagined".
--Thomas Merton
