If You Feel the Music, Dance

Lately, I’ve felt rushed—overwhelmed by the holiday hustle. Between parties, work, travel, shopping, delivering gifts, and planning for the new year, December has been a very busy month. Amid all this chaos, I’ve felt a growing guilt: I haven’t been spending as much time with my little girl, Arwen, as I would like.

As you know, being a mom is my absolute favorite thing in the world. I adore Arwen—she’s my best friend. But recently, I've felt that I haven't been as present for her amid many other responsibilities and expectations. On top of it all, she’s been sick for the past two weeks and has wanted nothing but her mommy.

So, one day after preschool, I decided it was time to hit pause and spend quality time together. I took her out to eat and grocery shopping—just the two of us. She was so excited for this “mommy adventure” that it made my heart burst with joy.

We ran a few errands before stopping at a new taco place in our neighborhood. Arwen was thrilled to help. After ordering, she took charge of finding us a table, but in true fashion, she didn’t stop there. By the time our food arrived, she’d rearranged the napkins, cutlery, and chairs to her liking.

She didn’t eat much—too busy exploring the restaurant—but she was happy, and that’s what mattered.

As I bit into my second taco, she looked at me and said, “Mom, come, floor.” I interpreted her toddler wisdom to mean, “Stand up.” So, I did.

Without hesitation, she grabbed my hands and started twirling, shaking her little bum, and breaking out the most incredible dance moves I’ve ever seen.

That’s when I noticed the music. The restaurant was playing some of my favorite Latin songs. Inspired by the beat, I joined her—dancing and singing along.

We didn’t have a care in the world. In that moment, it didn’t matter who was watching (and yes, I’m sure someone was filming us). We were just two carefree souls, mother and daughter, dancing our hearts out in the middle of a restaurant.

For Arwen, dancing is in her DNA. She's half-Dominican. And me, having spent much of my own life immersed in Latin culture, this kind of spontaneous dancing isn’t unusual. If the music moves you, you go for it.

But…we’re in Utah. And Utah doesn’t quite have the same “dance-wherever-you-feel-like-it” vibe.

Still, I didn’t care. All I cared about was that my little girl wanted to dance with me because she felt the music, and I wasn’t about to miss that moment.

Ten minutes later, we were done. I didn’t get a single photo or video of our impromptu dance party. We were just too busy living in the moment. But this memory? It’s etched in my heart forever

Moral of the Story

Dancing in the middle of a restaurant might seem embarrassing to some, but it can also be freeing. That day, we didn’t care about what others thought; we just felt the music and danced.

How often are we missing the music around us? And how often do we bypass an opportunity to dance because we are worried how others will see us?

When your kids invite you into their world, say yes. Show up. Dance with them. Sing with them. Live with them. They notice the music a lot more than we do.

If we say no too often, one day, they’ll stop asking.

So, if you feel the music, just dance. Especially when your little one asks you to.

Happy New Year friends!

Erica🌺❤️

PS: I have a goal for 2025 to really increase the number of people who read my weekly blog. My goal is to uplift and connect with as many people as I can.

Will you help me? I would be so grateful!

Here are some ways to share:

1. Share my link on your social media posts or stories. Click here to copy and paste

2. Each week, think of someone new who might benefit from a story and forward them the email.

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