M is for Moms who dance the Merengue

I started this blog on the advice of my doctor. She said, "I think you should start a blog to help other moms." I took the "start a blog" part of that advice, and I figured I'd work out the "helping other moms" part eventually. I don't really know what I could write that would help other moms, but I do know that other moms help me all the time. I've read other moms' blogs that helped me to laugh at myself. I've read mom blogs that helped me realize that I am never alone. Sometimes people are freer to be honest with some level of anonymity. And some of the honest feelings and thoughts that moms have are not the feelings and thoughts we are generally encouraged to share.

But sometimes, we find others in our lives that share our secret passions, our hidden dreams, our muted voices. And sometimes those people are the moms standing next to us at Zumba.

I met Ramona last night. She brought in a little girl a year younger than mine to the gym day care. While we were waiting for class to start, I asked about her little girl. We started chatting and then she said: "This is what 'going out' is for me now. I get to shake my stuff and feel like I've still got it." I knew exactly what she meant, and told her it was the same thing for me. Zumba class is not a workout. (I mean, you get a workout.) Zumba is all of us moms on the dance floor with no inhibitions dancing the merengue with passion and zeal. We are not warming up to go out clubbing afterwards. The class is our party for the night, and we let it all hang out.

After class, Ramona and I chatted a bit more. I look forward to dancing with her again in another class. Dancing a mean merengue with other moms on a Friday night. Join the party!