My family and most of my friends know that my favourite song is I Hope You Dance. This song sums up my attitude to life and I love it. And I have chosen it to be played at my funeral.
Imagine my delight then when I received an email this morning with this video embedded – please watch it.
This unbelievable 94-year-old dancing the Foxtrot with a young man. Whatever she has been doing for the past 94 years I want to do – and whatever she is on I want some.
And here are the lyrics for you to sing along with Lee Ann Womack. Yes, yes I know I have given you these words before, but in case…
“I hope you never lose your sense of wonder,
You get your fill to eat but always keep that hunger,
May you never take one single breath for granted,
GOD forbid love ever leave you empty handed,
I hope you still feel small when you stand beside the ocean,
Whenever one door closes I hope one more opens,
Promise me that you’ll give faith a fighting chance,
And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance.I hope you dance….I hope you dance.I hope you never fear those mountains in the distance,
Never settle for the path of least resistance
Livin’ might mean takin’ chances but they’re worth takin’,
Lovin’ might be a mistake but it’s worth makin’,
Don’t let some hell bent heart leave you bitter,
When you come close to sellin’ out reconsider,
Give the heavens above more than just a passing glance,
And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance.I hope you dance….I hope you dance.
I hope you dance….I hope you dance.
(Time is a wheel in constant motion always rolling us along,
Tell me who wants to look back on their years and wonder where those years have gone.)I hope you still feel small when you stand beside the ocean,
Whenever one door closes I hope one more opens,
Promise me that you’ll give faith a fighting chance,
And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance.Dance….I hope you dance.
I hope you dance….I hope you dance.
I hope you dance….I hope you dance..
(Time is a wheel in constant motion always rolling us along
Tell me who wants to look back on their years and wonder where those years have gone)”
Songwriters: Tia Sillers, Mark Daniel Sanders
Copyright: Soda Creek Songs.
You get your fill to eat but always keep that hunger,
May you never take one single breath for granted,
GOD forbid love ever leave you empty handed,
I hope you still feel small when you stand beside the ocean,
Whenever one door closes I hope one more opens,
Promise me that you’ll give faith a fighting chance,
And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance.I hope you dance….I hope you dance.I hope you never fear those mountains in the distance,
Never settle for the path of least resistance
Livin’ might mean takin’ chances but they’re worth takin’,
Lovin’ might be a mistake but it’s worth makin’,
Don’t let some hell bent heart leave you bitter,
When you come close to sellin’ out reconsider,
Give the heavens above more than just a passing glance,
And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance.I hope you dance….I hope you dance.
I hope you dance….I hope you dance.
(Time is a wheel in constant motion always rolling us along,
Tell me who wants to look back on their years and wonder where those years have gone.)I hope you still feel small when you stand beside the ocean,
Whenever one door closes I hope one more opens,
Promise me that you’ll give faith a fighting chance,
And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance.Dance….I hope you dance.
I hope you dance….I hope you dance.
I hope you dance….I hope you dance..
(Time is a wheel in constant motion always rolling us along
Tell me who wants to look back on their years and wonder where those years have gone)”
Songwriters: Tia Sillers, Mark Daniel Sanders
Copyright: Soda Creek Songs.
Maybe this is why I can’t dance like Matilda.
But these bears are having a good try
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I choose how I will spend the rest of my life 
“I Hope You Dance” is a favorite of mine, too. I guess you just keep dancing until you’re 100, Judith!
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Thanks Patti – don’t you love the 94 year old gal!
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Incredible!! Love both videos. Thanks.
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Hi Darlene – I hope that I can still dance at 94 – isn’t Matilda great.
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What an amazing lady and what great lyrics.
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Thanks Peter – love both those clips.
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Thank you for those, Judith – a great way to start the day! I didn’t know that song – what great lyrics, and I do hope your friends and family will dance at your funeral as you request!
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Well they will need to otherwise I shall come back to haunt them!
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Awww–my SIL gave me that CD for my birthday and it’s one of the CD singles I have in the car — not on an album, but a single to be played over and over.
Now I understand your gravatar better. 🙂
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Oh yes – it’s my favourite song and my motto. Every email I sent out used to have this on the bottom but somehow when I changed computers it got lost. So now it’s back on the emails. Thanks for the comment Georgette.
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Dancing Mathilda and Lee Ann put a smile on my face this morning…..thanks Judith 🙂
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Opening that email in the morning put a smile on my face for the rest of the day. Thanks Stacia.
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Now if I only had rhythm and balance, I would definitely dance! Great post Judith. The song says it all and I can understand why it’s your favorite.
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Hi Dor and thanks for the comment. Yes it most certainly is my favourite and when I used to run those Self Confidence courses I always included the song and the lyrics somewhere.
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Love that song and still love to dance! Thank you for sending this video.
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Thanks for the comment. I just have to practice my dancing more – but hey, I have 20 years to catch up to Matilda.
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Beautiful. 🙂
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Thanks 😀
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I’ve set a link to you at
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Thank you. Just going over to look at your blog now.
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Liked your idea of playing your favorite song at your funeral.
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