Life. What a weird companion. Hubs and I have been taking road trips all summer long. We've been to Chicago twice, Iowa twice, Indiana, Kentucky and I even took a long trip to Tennessee.
We just got back from what might be the last road trip of the summer. Our second trip to Iowa where we went to Newton to see Grand Funk Railroad (GFR). Back in the 1990s, even before we were married, hubs and I were GFR groupies. I think a lot of why we fell in love has to do with music. When hubs learned that I had GFR in my vinyl collection, despite the fact GFR hadn't had a hit since I was a little girl, I think that set our fate.
Here we were last night--an old married couple at The Iowa Speedway in Newton. We didn't even know there was a big race with careers and sponsorships in the cross-hairs of our road trip. All we knew was, hell yeah--GFR is still touring! And they are within driving distance!
Because we weren't so much into the race and just wanted to see the last part of it before the rock concert, we arrived an hour late. The ticket booth was closed but the security folks waved us in with the condition they check my purse. Sure! But, what about the concert?
What about it, indeed. No charge to see one of hubs' all-time favorite bands and a band I also love very much (plus we enjoyed the end to an exciting and very loud race). Of course, we knew every song. The energy from the band was more than contagious--I'm impressed that they were so dynamic for such a small show. We were practically front row--maybe 3 rows back and we saw everything, making sure to stand on the side with the keyboards (me) and bass guitar (hubs). The band genuinely looked thrilled to still be out there, doing what they loved, no matter the size of the crowd, and they were fantastic. My gimpy ankle and failing back couldn't help but dance. And...I finally found my 3/4 shimmy. It's a belly dance thing that has taken me two years to figure out. Apparently I am rehearsing to the wrong genre of music and I need some good old early 1970s Detroit rock 'n roll and alt-blues to set me straight. One of my early instructors told me that when I got that 3/4 shimmy, I would wonder how I didn't realize how simple it was to do in the first place. She's right.
I wonder if it is a metaphor for life, too. I think we make life far more complicated than it needs to be. I know I do. Where I need to be right now is writing, dancing, spending time with the people I love, creating, centering, making a peaceful and loving environment for everyone I meet, and being genuine. Pure living. Part of my simplification process began a couple of years ago, but was reinforced very recently, too. I'm spending more time writing (blogging too!) than on social media. I'm spending time with people I love and who love me rather than trying to impress a family that never wanted me in the first place. And, I'm being me. All of me. If I don't overthink all of this, and if I don't live too much in the past, it will serve me well.
I'm still full of weekend bravada on a Saturday night. Remind me that I said and meant all of this on Monday.
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