I hope you never lose your sense of wonder
You get your fill to eat
But always keep that hunger
May you never take one single breath for granted
God forbid love ever leave you empty handed
I hope you still feel small
When you stand by the ocean
Whenever one door closes, I hope one more opens
Promise me you'll give faith a fighting chance
And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance
I hope you dance
I hope you dance
On the Overcome and Empower panel at SpouseBUZZ LIVE San Diego, we heard from Shelly Hall, a fabulous lady who lost her husband in a training accident several years ago. She lost a life partner and their five children lost a father. Someone asked Shelly how her tragedy has changed her life. Her reply, and I'm paraphrasing, was that she no longer sweats the small stuff.
airforcewife also talked about the need to live and seize the moment. She mentioned that when she's old and gray, she wants to look back and know that she and her family lived, and made a difference. Simply by virtue of our service to our country, we are making a difference. Sometimes it's difficult to realize, but we are indeed leaving a mark, and making history.
Military families are reminded on a daily basis of the hazards of this life, and they can be grave. However, we can't afford to be paralyzed by the dangers that come with the territory. Listening to Shelly's emotional testimony was yet another powerful reminder of the fact that life is short and should be lived to the fullest. The pressure we, as military families, are under is enormous, but at the end of the day, I'm sure all of us want to look back on our lives with no regrets. We probably won't remember the argument of the day, but we'll remember the fellowship with friends and family. The good times. "Work hard, play hard" comes to mind.
What Shelly and airforcewife were basically saying was that we should dance. In honor of Shelly and all the families who have lost loved ones in service to our nation, let's do just that. Let's dance.
I hope you never fear those mountains in the distance
Never settle for the path of least resistance
Living might mean taking chances
But they're worth taking
Lovin' might be a mistake
But it's worth making
Don't let some hell bent heart
Leave you bitter
When you come close to selling out
Reconsider
Give the heavens above
More than just a passing glance
And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance
I hope you dance
(Time is a real and constant motion always)
I hope you dance
(Rolling us along)
I hope you dance
(Tell me who)
I hope you dance
(Wants to look back on their youth and wonder)
(Where those years have gone)
I hope you still feel small
When you stand by the ocean
Whenever one door closes, I hope one more opens
Promise me you'll give faith a fighting chance
And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance
Dance
I hope you dance
I hope you dance
(Time is a real and constant motion always)
I hope you dance
(Rolling us along)
I hope you dance
(Tell me who)
(Wants to look back on their youth and wonder)
I hope you dance
(Where those years have gone)
(Tell me who)
I hope you dance
(Wants to look back on their youth and wonder)
(Where those years have gone)
Lyrics by Lee Ann Womack
