Why Dance in the Lightning?

I love a quotation that I thought described my life: "Life is not about waiting for the storm to pass, it is about learning to dance in the rain."


Rain no longer cuts it.

In today's economic thunderstorm I feel like it is about learning to dance with lightning--something far more frightening, shocking, and illuminating.

Here I am ready to be illuminated and hoping that it won't be too scary.

I heard yesterday that 35 is the new 40 for mid-life crisis time. I have always been mature for my age and now at 32, I might as well be 40.

I quit my day job despite the guarantee of money, fame, and satisfaction. In the interest of full disclosure I was/am a high school English teacher. The money was not substantial but enough; the fame was annoying (I could never buy underwear in a 15 mile radius of my house for fear of running into students lurking somewhere); and the satisfaction was sporadic, like lightning causing the occasional light bulb to flicker above students' heads in my imaginary teacher world.

Now, instead of illuminating 150 students a day, I am waiting for my illumination moment. What am I supposed to do with the rest of my life and which direction should I go in?

Today's answers to that question include hosting a party supply store on Etsy, and reading books on the pursuit of happiness like The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin.

I am ready to stop teaching and start learning.

Try not to get struck while dancing!