Unexpected Pleasures

Last night, hubby and I set out for a last-minute bike ride along a nearby waterfront. We (meaning me, primarily) felt a bit rushed getting out of the house and getting bikes loaded on the car… sunset was less than an hour away and we still had to drive to the destination. I imagined us being in the dark on the ride back, which I’m not typically comfortable with due to poor night vision. What I didn’t realize, though, is we were about to enjoy a lovely lazy ride, beautifully lit by a gorgeous full moon rising above the waterscape. (Actually, it turns out the fully full moon will appear in tonight’s sky–the lovely Snow Moon in all her winter glory.)

Along the ride, we saw a dozen or so small sailboats dancing with a soft breeze, slowly and elegantly turning this way and that. Also in the water were folks ‘biking’ in 2-seater floating swan boats.

On the bike ride back, we stopped by an inviting patio outside a local art center and decided to kick back with a glass of chardonnay. How naughty, we thought, but also fun and oh, so needed. 🙂

After we ordered our drinks, I asked if there were any events going on tonight. The bartender said there was some kind of dance show going on. She also said they might be doing a free dance lesson before it. So, once hubby and I settled outside to enjoy the view near a stylish outdoor fire pit, curiosity got the best of me… I had to find out if there was a dance lesson going on somewhere. I went inside to investigate, but as I wandered inside the building, I didn’t see anything going on in any of the rooms.

Defeated, I slipped into a restroom before heading back out to rejoin hubby. In the restroom, I struck up a conversation with a woman who was at the sink washing her hands. I complimented her on the words on the back of her shirt (though the words elude me now!). After a bit of chit chat, we both left each other with a smile. Immediately afterwards, I walked by an information booth and, still curious, stopped to ask if there were any activities going on for the night. “Yes,” the worker replied, “there’s a dance show tonight; they’re also giving a free instruction class prior to it. It starts in… let me see here… yes, starts in about five minutes.”

When I rejoined hubby outside, I told him about the free dance class and he immediately exclaimed, “You should check it out!” Well, I wasn’t about to argue. Even though I don’t know any particular formal dance moves, I love freestyle dancing and can follow along pretty easily with anyone to most anything, so I joined in on what turned out to be Samba dance instruction.

There I was in a large circle with a dozen other people, swaying our hips this way and that, loosening our upper and lower bodies in unison with the instructor’s cues but without a hint of music. It was then I recognized the shirt the instructor was wearing… here I was in this dance circle being taught by the woman I had met earlier in the bathroom. In there, she was simply a very nice person with good energy, a person who left me with a smile when I last saw her.

I’m drawn to people with good energy. Sometimes (actually, often lately), I feel like the universe is leaving me crumbs to follow so I can experience something unexpected that will lift me up and fill my soul. This night felt like that type of night. The water. The sunset. The moonrise. The sips of wine outdoors on a waterview patio with the glow of fire and moon gently lighting the night. And me, in a welcoming group of a dozen or so people, paired up and dancing slowly and elegantly as if dancing with a soft breeze, turning this way and that.

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