Happy to be stuck at a traffic light

The other day I found myself caught in traffic in a shopping mall. Hard to believe, I know. It was Boxing Week so I expected the chaos but judging by the looks of the drivers around me they didn't.

So I'm sitting there waiting to escape out of the mall parking lot and while I sat there at the red light a young woman was attempting to turn left into the mall. But unlike most of the drivers surrounding me this young driver was different. I couldn't hear the music in her car but this woman was grooving to whatever beat was coming out of her radio. Her arms were up and she was literally dancing inside her car and singing at the top of her lungs. It brought an immediate smile to my face and I was happy she was stuck at the light because it gave me a few extra moments to marvel in this woman's happiness. Talk about refreshing.

Remember the days when singing and dancing came naturally to most of us? Young people hit the clubs every weekend and go crazy on the dance floor because they're happy. Singing + dancing = happiness. Some time after 30 most of us forget to sing and dance. We ignore the primal urge to be happy and that's too bad.

I try to be happy most days but singing at my office is outlawed (right Christy?!) and dancing, well without music you just look silly bopping around the newsroom. At home my kids tell me to shut up when I break out into song and Rebekah rolls her eyes every time I strut my stuff on the kitchen floor.

But think about it for a moment, some of the most popular shows on television revolve around singing and dancing. Dancing with the Stars, Glee, American Idol are all top rated shows. Remember that dancing baby on Ally McBeal? Everybody smiled when he appeared.

I think we should all sing and dance a little more even if we aren't the most talented at it. I couldn't hear that young woman singing but it didn't matter. She was happy and for a few moments in time she made me happy.