On a sticky, warm evening this past summer, I went for a run to clear my head. Sometimes my brain goes into hamster mode – spinning an idea around and around on a wheel, going nowhere. The run felt great, but two-thirds of the way around the lake, my mind was still busy, busy, busy.
As I rounded a corner, bluegrass music began to drift through the trees. I smiled with the recognition that it was Monday night, and a group of guys from my street performs beside the path on Monday nights. I slowly jogged to a stop and stood behind a motley group of people lounging on the grass. Sweat trickled down my face and I caught my breath while enjoying the deep plucking bass, lively guitar, and sweet fiddle weaving together with the men’s clear, bright voices.
To my right, there were two young men dancing barefoot. They laughed and tossed each other around. I mentally explained this fun pairing as an alternative lifestyle until I noticed two ladies on the grass nearby. The girls refused to dance, but clapped along as they guys showed off. When one song ended and another began, one young man came over to me and held out his open hand.
“Would you like to dance?”
My mind said, ‘I’m taller than him and I’m covered in sweat.’
My mouth said, “Yes. I would.”
From there, my mind basically took a break and lounged in the grass with the other onlookers. I spun around and over and through different patterns by releasing myself to my partner’s lead. No thoughts necessary. It was fun. I gave myself over to it, laughed, and twirled as the trio sang a popular song from the movie “O Brother, Where Art Thou?”
Mid-spin, my partner pulled me in with a mischievous grin and said, “Do you trust me?”
We kept dancing….spin, twist
“What are you going to do?”
Dip, twirl
He laughed. “I said, do you trust me?”
Spin, twist, dip
“Ummm, yeah. I’m willing to.”
Then this shorter-than-me, ponytailed stranger picked me up, swung me across one of his hips, then the other, my running shoed feet flying in the air. A visceral “waaaaa- ha –haaaa!”, part scream, part laugh, escaped my mouth. He plopped me back down in front of him and went right back to spinning and turning.
When it was over, I stood breathless for a moment, with clapping and people milling about around me. It was like my brain had gotten up from lounging on the grass, rejoined my body, and was trying to figure out what Brooke Maijken Caldwell was doing dancing in public with a stranger. Who do you think you are?
I realized I was still holding my dancing partner’s hands. I laughed and let go.
“I’m Sam,” he smiled.
“I’m Brooke. Thank you for the dance,” I grinned back.
“Sure thing!”
I returned to running and Sam to his girlfriend. I ran (uphill) home like my feet were bouncing off clouds. I had set out to get some exercise and clear my thoughts. What happened was, God had wrapped up a giant present called “Freedom From Fear of the Unexpected” and tied it with a big bow the color of “Freedom From Fear of What People Think of You” and delivered it to me in a summer bluegrass dance. I prayed that Sam would be blessed, as he blessed me. He’d never know how God had used his simple gesture. I wanted to tell the girlfriend, “I’m not flirting! I’m just releasing fear! He’s your guy - - all yours!”, but I figured God would work that out. Plus, I was free of what she thought of me anyway, right? : )
There are many places where fear once bound me to a world of no.
I’m finding abundant life in trust-filled YESes!
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