Is there anything surlier, more easily embarrassed, or more ungrateful than a teenager? That’s a rhetorical question.
I was typical, vacillating between really wanting my mommy, and being so embarrassed by my mother I wanted to get bitten by a radioactive spider and develop laser vision so I could burn a hole in the ground to hide in.
My mom is a really good dancer. She’s got rhythm in spades, whereas I have rhythm in…no part of my body. This link will take you to proof. I show you this so that we can laugh together, and then you can pat my back while I cry into a bowl of ice cream. (P.S., never wear satin on film) I also show you this as proof that I can sorta rap in Spanish.
I got kicked out of a dance class in my 20s. I had decided I wanted to try Irish step dancing, so I found an adult beginner class and began. I made it through 6 weeks before the teacher pulled me aside, handed me a check for my money back, and said she was sure I had other talents to pursue. I was so bad, I was holding back all the other beginners.
Anyway, my mother can dance. She can still dance. When I was a teenager, and she was in her 40s, if there was a floor, she’d get on it, and get down on it. And I? Wanted to die. There was a time when we were out at a Greek restaurant with some of her friends, and a band started to play. My mother took off her shoes and went and danced, and danced, and danced.
I remember that night because while I was watching her and wanting to die of embarrassment because OH MY GOD SOMEONE MIGHT THINK SHE WAS WEIRD AND HOW COULD SHE DO THIS TO ME PEOPLE WERE STARING, I was also thinking how cool it was that she didn’t care if anyone thought she was weird, or if people were staring. She wanted to dance. She danced. And she was good.
I’ve tried to take her attitude with me wherever I go. There are always going to be people who will laugh at you because there will always be nasty people in the world. Also, sometimes, you are going to be really funny–whether you mean to be, or not. People laughing isn’t bad. Being afraid to laugh at yourself is.
That’s something else I’m trying to teach my boy. If you are afraid to do anything because you’re worried about what someone else thinks, you’ll grow up to be the pre-Delorian version of George McFly. And who wants that? Yes, if you put it all out there, you might get rejected, or laughed at, but if you don’t put it all out there, you can’t ever live the fulfilled life either.
Now, this link goes to the actual Celia Cruz version of the song I’m singing up top. Lyrics and translation are below. The words speak for themselves.
La vida es un carnaval
Tiene que saber que no es así
Que la vida es una hermosura, hay que vivirla
Todo aquel que piense que está solo y que está mal
Tiene que saber que no es así
Que en la vida no hay nadie solo, siempre hay alguien
Es más bello vivir cantando
Oh, oh, oh, ay, no hay que llorar
Que la vida es un carnaval
Y las penas se van cantando
Todo aquel que piense que la vida siempre es cruel
Tiene que saber que no es así
Que tan solo hay momentos malos, y todo pasa
Todo aquel que piense que esto nunca va a cambiar
Tiene que saber que no es así
Que al mal tiempo buena cara, y todo pasa
Ay, no ha que llorar, que la vida es un carnaval
Es más bello vivir cantando
Oh, oh, oh, Ay, no hay que llorar
Que la vida es un carnaval
Y las penas se van cantando
Para aquellos que se quejan tanto
Para aquellos que solo critican
Para aquellos que usan las armas
Para aquellos que nos contaminan
Para aquellos que hacen la guerra
Para aquellos que viven pecando
Para aquellos nos maltratan
Para aquellos que nos contagian
Copyright: Musivida Publishing, Sadaic Latin Copyrights Inc.
Life is a carnival
Anyone thinking that like is unfair,
Needs to know that’s not the case,
that life is beautiful, you must live it.
Anyone thinking he’s alone and that that’s bad
Needs to know that’s not the case,
that in life no one is alone, there is always someone
It’s more beautiful to live singing.
Oh, Ay, there’s no need to cry,
For life is a carnival
And your pains go away by singing.
Anyone thinking that life is cruel,
Needs to know that’s not the case,
That there are just bad times, and it will pass.
Anyone thinking that things will never change,
Needs to know that’s not the case,
smile to the hard times, and they will pass.
Ay, there’s no need to cry, because life is a carnival,
It’s more beautiful to live singing.
Oh, Ay, there’s no need to cry,
For life is a carnival
And your pains go away by singing.
For those that complain a lot.
For those that only criticize.
For those that use weapons.
For those that pollute us.
For those that make war.
For those that live in sin.
For those that mistreat us.
For those that make us sick.
The Outside Lane 