What makes us smile? A blog challenge.

One of the up sides of social media is that we get the opportunity to find out about people and things that we otherwise wouldn't. A few months ago I started following Sloan Rawlins on Twitter which led to me also following her blog under the name of "Taming the Invisible Dragon". I started to follow her because she seems to be on a similar 'journey' to myself. A journey of aspiring to be happy and at peace with herself and the world. Well who doesn't want that?

 

In her latest post she had taken up a challenge set by another fellow blogger, Lori Lane. Lori has issued a challenge to write about things that make you happy. Not just happy in that it brings a smile to your face, but 'making you want to sing and dance and love the whole world' type of  happy. The idea is that you write a blog about a certain type of thing she chooses that makes you happy and invite others to write about the same topic. Then Lori will choose a different thing that makes her happy to blog about and share this, and so on. Confused don't be all will soon become clear.

The topic of this weeks challenge is to write about a song that makes you happy.

I've chosen 'Singing in the rain' from the film with the same title.

Why?

At the tender age of 8 years old I took to the stage for the first time and in front of my family, friends and a fair amount of strangers, and sang this song, on my own with 4 other young girls dancing behind me twirling umbrellas . This has to be one of the most wonderful memories of my childhood. I only have to hear this song, or even better watch the film, and I'm immediately transported back to that time and place. That night, on that stage, I really felt as if the world was my oyster and that anything was possible. I remember even as a teenager walking home on warm summer's evenings with my best friend singing and dancing to this song just because I was high on the joy of living.

Even the words of the song are inspiring. If we can be 'singing in the rain' and  'laughing at clouds so high up above', to quote some of the lyrics, then life will take on a whole new meaning.

I didn't grow up to be a famous West end or Broadway star. I've had my share of life's highs and lows, ( I won't say fair share as who decides what's fair?), But even as I'm writing this blog, I can feel a bubble of happiness quickening inside of me, chasing away the anxieties that have been plaguing me. Almost against my will I'm grinning as I once again feel the excitement of that evening.

This weekend the Adult Singing Group, Woapa, that I'm a part of are performing at a local music festival, Ox-feast. I'm a 'lady of a certain age' who has never even been to a music festival before and here I am performing at one! Of course I'm absolutely terrified. But I'm also really excited and writing this blog and thinking about my favourite song has only helped to increase this feeling of excitement.

In the words of one of the songs that we will be singing this weekend, a song from the musical Fame;

 'Bring on tomorrow. let it shine'.

So who's up for the challenge? What makes you smile? © 2013


Below is the link to "Taming the Invisible Dragon"

http://tamingtheinvisibledragon.com/

Happiness picture courtesy of World of Lupus Facebook group.