Stop Everything And Boogie.

            Sometimes a little boogie in the woods is exactly what you need. Or at least it’s exactly what I need and I don’t even know it.

            Some days when it’s raining or a little too cold for the season or a little too warm for the season and you think about calling everything off for the day so you can just lay under a blanket and rest.

            Or binge that new show you’re watching.

            Or drink hot tea.

            Or scroll.

            Please don’t use too much of your spirit scrolling.

            Or cuddle with your dog.

            Or cuddle with your human.

            Or write in your journal.

            There you go, write in a journal!

            Or listen to music.

            Or make music.

            But then you look out the window again and the clouds are inviting you outside.

            Clouds have never invited me outside, you say.

            You have to look outside at the clouds to know they are inviting you.

            The trees are waving at you, too, asking you to come and play.

            Trees have never asked me to come and play, you say.

            You have to be open to hearing them to know they want you to play. And trust me, today, they want you to come and play, and a dance party in the woods is one of the awesome ways to play.

            There are so many ways to boogie in the woods, but this time I was by myself and feeling a little sluggish at first. I didn’t even know a boogie was coming.

            The best ones are unexpected.

            Like today. You didn’t expect to boogie in the woods, so it will be a great one.

            On my boogie day, the breeze pushed leaves from side to side, drops of water splashed down on my head, and the earth beneath my feet was sticky but not slippery.

            The forest was quiet and empty of humans, but very much full of tiny birds flitting, gray squirrels leaping, some chipmunks hiding, and the tiniest bit of light streaming in through the canopy. Water was rushing in the distance.

            I needed a little lift, so I slowed my mind and took a deep breath.

            Take one now, a deep breath, it feels so good.

            And when I exhaled a little smile came to my face.

            Try that now. There you go. Hello smile.

            I thought about my breath a few more times in and out. In and out. In. And. Out.

            Then my walk felt smoother, easier. A little more gentle and light.

            I walked by and said hello to a couple tree friends, paused and knelt down to listen to a scurry sound, and stretched my arms up high over my head.

            Stretching your arms high over your head feels amazing anytime, but especially in the woods.

            And after a few more minutes of walking and pausing and stretching, I put in my headphones and played a song.

            Play this now, I promise you won’t regret it.

            I mean, how can you not boogie when you hear this?

            I’m not a judger, but if you’re listening to that song and not even wiggling in your seat a little, I think we need a dance intervention.

            So there I was, making my way up a hill, with tiny little quick steps climbing with the beat. Arms out wide. Fingers snapping. Voice cracking. Ah-Ah-Ah-Ah Stayin’ Alive.

            The open area at the top of the hill was the perfect place for a full-on disco turn-around, arms pumping, legs going, face smiling.

            Body smiling.

            PASSING ON THE RIGHT.

            What the!

            A runner scared the bejeezus out of me.

            But nothing was stopping us now, and we carried on like this. Me, the music, the headphones, the breeze, the dappling light, the sticky ground, the drizzling rain, the calling cardinal, the rushing water.

            A hot tea under a blanket would have been fine.

            But this.

            This boogie?

            Magic.

            It stopped everything.