Back in the day, on the World Race I went to Ireland.
At the airport in Dublin I ate a McDonald’s Happy Meal and it may have changed my life.
As soon as I put that ribbon together I started dancing around with it like I’d been ribbon dancing all my life.
It made me laugh out loud.
It literally caused something that was tied up inside me to be let loose.
I felt invincible. And I didn’t care one bit what everyone in that airport thought of me.
I continued with the ribbon dancing for the rest of our week in Ireland.
I even showed off my skills in the squad dance off.
I was so very free.
When we left Ireland I put the ribbon in my pack and kind of forgot about it.
Without the ribbon in my hand I lost a bit of the freedom I had found.
Until a couple of weeks ago I had pretty much forgotten about the ribbon all together.
And until a couple of weeks ago I had pretty much forgotten what that kind of freedom felt like.
My smile wasn’t coming as easily.
My heart was heavy and unsettled.
I was worried about things I couldn’t control.
It was like I had packed away the freedom I had and completely forgotten it existed.
I was letting the thought of what you might think of me keep me from actually giving you anything to think about.
And then a couple of weeks ago I was reminded of that little ribbon covered in flames.
And I remembered that not only do I want to be that woman, I still am.
I am free from what you think of me. I am free from what I think of me.
I am simply me.
