Day 13

Recently, my 6-year old cousin, Bianca, was riding in the car with her mother.  A song came on the radio and she exclaimed,  “You need to download this song because it gives me a dance in my brain. Whenever I get a dance in my brain I just need the song.”

I loved the idea of a dance in my brain and began pondering. What makes my brain dance?   I’m not sure how Bianca intended this, but I like to think of it in a sort of Julie Andrews “My Favorite Things” way, but maybe mathematically squared.  Instead of what makes my heart sing, it’s what makes a dance in my brain. 

So, here’s a list of the top 10 things that put a smile on my face,  a bounce in my step and a dance in my brain (in no particular order):

1.  Having my family all together (sappy, predictable, but true)  — We don’t even have to be interacting but knowing      we’re all in the same building together warms my heart.

2.  The big, untidy pile of books by my bed, all waiting to be read

3.  Snow days (which create a downright boogie when called the night before!)

4.  Homemade soup bubbling on the stove on a cold winter day

5.  Discovering a “new-to-me” author (especially one with a long list of published books)

6.  Crossing something off a to-do list (If I forgot to put it on the list before I did it, I will add it afterward just for the          sheer pleasure of crossing it off!)

7.  Libraries and book stores

8.  Casual, inconsequential, friendly conversations with strangers after which I walk away thinking, “I like people.”

9.  Spring flowers–especially big, blowsy poppies nodding in my garden or the brilliant blue scilla that carpets the hill      to my house

10.  Words– writing, word games and word play (Will Shortz’ weekly Puzzle on NPR, The New York Times Sunday          Crossword Puzzle, Boggle, etc.)

What makes a dance in your brain?