Grandma and the Village People

It is a great blessing to go on vacation with extended family members if one is able.  My husband, kids, and I were blessed to have my parents join us on a cruise to Alaska.  Joint vacations provide rich opportunities to get to know each other better and spend time together.  I very much enjoyed that opportunity last month. 

Most people who are close to my mom know she loves to dance.  The cruise’s 50s and 60s dance party, and the 70s dance party, gave us the chance to do this together.  It is like the music is in her veins, and makes her legs and arms move regardless of how tired she might otherwise be beforehand.  

Music also infuses her spirit and opens her up to silliness in a crowd of strangers, regardless of how many are watching.  The smile on her face brings joy to others and provides life to the party.  What fun we had at these two cruise dance parties. 

During the 70s dance party they had actors dressed up as the former music group, The Village People, complete with the construction worker, police man, sailor, cowboy, and the scantily-clad Native American.  At the end of the party we had the option to take pictures with the actors, and her sillines was still active and open to my prompting.  We got a great picture of her with these attractive young men.  The picture was awesome, and her smile was inspiring.

How restorative it is to be open to such silliness!  The emotional high after a laugh like that is far better than any drug or alcohol can provide. Not everyone has my mother’s gift of selfless silliness to liven up a party.  How blessed I am to have been a part of it.