My First Official...

DRUM CIRCLE!

Last night, I attended my first official drum circle as an Asheville resident. For those of you who don't know - every Friday night AVL residents (and some tourists) gather at a park downtown to drum and dance for a good three to four hours. I was at home working on a sketch that wasn't turning out so good when I remembered that it was drum circle night. I spotted my friend Regina (again!) almost as soon as I arrived at the park. I sat on the mulch on the out-skirts of the circle for long time observing and praying. The drum circle is a spiritually intense event. In my mind, watching the passion of the people as they dance and beat their drums with such fervor, it is a visiual of people who are desperate for the reality of God. I spent about twenty minutes debating whether or not I was going to get up and dance. I really wanted to - I love to dance - but the wretched demon of public opionion, which too often keeps me from truly living, was trying to hold me back. I decided, however, that if I, as one who knows Jesus and his love, as one who rests securely in that place, if I can not get up and dance with freedom and with joy for being alive...then who can, really? If these people who do not know Jesus can get out and dance simply because they are happy to be alive, then I should certainly be able to dance! So I did. I also made friends with Luke, Regina's two-year-old boy and together we danced like crazy. It is a beautiful thing when a child opens up to you and trusts you as a friend. It makes me think of how God must feel when we hold our hands up to dance with him, in a simple act of trust.

I found myself wishing that the ones I love the most could be there dancing crazy with me. Julianne, Coda, Crystal, Lynz, Amanda, Allison, Kori, Sarah, GCF folks, Beth, and espeically Katie Wetmore (her dancing skills are quite impressive).

I also thought: this is the type of gathering that Christians should have on a regular basis. People who know Jesus and his beautiful, life-giving love should be dancing like crazy people in the park, yelling, and beating drums as hard as they can. Shouldn't we? Shouldn't we be the people that are so free, and so excited, so full of joy that we just can't contain it?

Damn straight. Like the last post said: we should throw better parties. The Drum Circle only confirmed this.