18/05/2022
A significant part of my 'work' involves updating on various social media platforms. It is a time consuming task.
Despite spending this (fair amount) of time documenting and recording what is happening on my zesty forays, I often wonder if this online part is 'worth it'? The sheer beauty and scale of what occurs in my day to day in the real world - the seen, felt, experienced, is FAR greater then this framed cloud space.
Every day I am out as the Lemon (or Unicorn, or Tree) people burst out in dancing - sometimes it's sheer joyous instinct, often it's because they know (of) me already. Flutters of dancing Pollokshields-wide from car drivers, and construction workers, grannies, and toddlers ad infinitum in a massive all encompassing choreography over the space of miles and time.
My in-person following far outstrips my on-line one in the thousands! I think - ironically and beautifully - that the knowledge of 'the dancing lady' is more often shared by people having conversations with people around them then online.
Often people do record me on their phones or take pictures, I have been told (by some) they look at it when they are feeling sad and it lifts their spirits. But they are not posted online for public consumption or likes, or tweets. They become part of their family albums. I feel very privileged to share that space.
The people recount their stories to me, their joys, their sorrows, their secrets, and often their loneliness.
I spoke to one Mum today who revealed how lonely she was and said "when I see you dance it makes my heart feel sunshine, I am really lonely, and you make a light in me". I wish this was an uncommon thing (the loneliness bit) but I hear this SO much.
I have one toddler and Dad who 'find me' because the wee girl 'talks about the flower (!) all the time' but just stares at wonder upon arrival to my dancing space. She, and he, do not tweet or insta or tik tok this profound ongoing phenomena, that phantasma of toddlerhood intense and beautiful and quickly gone.
Or the Home Care staff who tend to the elderly and infirm, who speak of how happy knowing they might see me helps them in their difficult tasks of the day.
The psychiatric nurse who is dealing with the most extreme trauma.
The retired Serviceman who meets me with a resounding 'WHERE have you been' on the occasions he sees me.
The Bin Men who dance, honk in time to my steps in passing and cheer.
And it goes on and on and on....
To look at media (outside of cute cat videos lol) none of this beauty exists. And how could you represent it. To know is to be in it. And to be in it we need to get out there and live it. And commit ourselves to the positive contagion of happiness in real time. Not fake news at all.
I have now danced 133 miles of joy of my 500 mile goal! The corner discos are going well, and managed to get some meanders of dance in to! Please do comment, and share. Your cups of coffee are allowing this to continue.
All the best and I hope you are dancing where ever you are!
A significant part of my 'work' involves updating on various social media platforms. It is a time consuming task.Despite spending ...
