Life is Good

For the last few weeks, I have been taking nighttime adult ballet classes at a local dance studio. This week, there was a substitute from the usual teacher. On Thursday, the class was lovely - just on the edge of hard that makes ballet so enjoyable. After the class ended, the teacher, former principal dancer Nader Hamed, stopped all of us before we left to say, "Life is good."

He then gestured to all the dancers in the room, who ranged from teenagers to elderly, and he said, "We get to dance," and pointing at the piano, "listen to beautiful music." He reminded us just how lucky we are to dance, which is somewhat of a cultural luxury.

Maybe it was the summer heat or the sweat dripping in my eyes, but I found myself tearing up a little. Sometimes, I find the voice of God in what seems like the strangest of places - a particularly kind Lyft driver in the middle of the night, a funny sales clerk at H&M, and a substitute ballet teacher at a random adult class in Los Angeles.

The class reminded me of my 2019 resolution, which had two parts: going to the beach and practicing self love. Both of these actions feel celebratory to me, and I continue to remind myself that life, just as much as dance, is a celebration.

Although I often prefer to live according to a schedule, I also pride myself in being pretty good at going with the flow. Honestly, I owe it to my Dad for bestowing on me an appreciation for making the best out of any situation. He can look at a half-empty fridge and create the world's best sandwich or fill a day with adventures of any kind. That kind of attitude is one of celebration, and it has shaped the way I look at my own life.

Apartment living has challenged me to find celebration in the little moments. Some days, celebrating life involves sleeping in as late as possible, making pancakes, and reading on the couch, while other days are filled with cooking adventures, errand-running, and a good workout.

On Friday, I found myself alone with little to do, so I took a shuttle to catch a cheaper Lyft ride, bought some new dance shoes, and ended up in Playa Vista with an hour to kill before I could catch the shuttle home. I ended up treating myself to my favorite tea (pictured above) and then surprising my roommate with her favorite scones at work. The whole adventure took about four hours, but I had time to spare, and I enjoyed every minute of it.

Here's to adventures, to celebrations, and to my Dad. Life is good.