Lessons from a 5 year old

A number of weeks ago, I got to have my Goddaughter all to myself for a whole weekend. I had a great plan to ride the train, visit the zoo, go swimming, have dinner out on the town... basically remind her that she had the GREATEST Godmother ever (aside from my own because, let's face it, my Godmother is pretty awesome) and send her home spoiled rotten. 

 

We had an amazing time (in case all the smiles don't give it away) and I didn't want to "return" her to her parents on Sunday.

But alas, all good things must come to an end and we were off to the Shedd aquarium to reunite her with her parents when she reminded me of something very important. As the radio station turned on Katy Perry's Firework, she asked me to turn it up. I knew something fun was coming so I set up my camera to record her and was not disappointed... 

Before we got downtown, we probably sang this a dozen times...at the top of our lungs - and got several dozen strange looks from people as they passed by. Did she notice? Not a chance. In that moment, she reminded me of a lesson that so many of us are told and that so few of us remember daily. Sing like no one is listening...regardless of how many of the words you actually know or how many people might give you funny looks for singing like you're on stage in a cupcake outfit. We had so much FUN on that drive that I almost didn't want to get there.

What things in life have you not chased because you didn't know all the words or all the steps? How many times could we all just push forward with chasing our goals instead of worrying about who's watching or how silly we might look? Next time that song comes on the radio, turn it up and sing your heart out... and remember how good that feels the next time you're afraid to chase a dream because you don't know all the words...

Dance like no one's watching,

Sing like no one's listening,

Love like you'll never get hurt,

and live like it's heaven on Earth.