Lee Ann Womack's top hit "I Hope You Dance" never made too much sense until I watched someone grow up in front of me. I never knew how precious time was or just how fast it went by until then. This is a breakdown for that little girl in my life who made this song mean so much. Hopefully, one day, you'll be able to listen to the song and understand where I'm coming from.
"I hope you never lose your sense of wonder,
You get your fill to eat but always keep that hunger."
As I have watch you grow up, your love of exploration amazed me. You're always willing to jump off the highest slide and climb the biggest piece of the jungle gym. I hope that love of adventure and wander never leaves you. I hope you'll always want to see more of this world and never settle for anything less than amazing.
"May you never take one single breath for granted,
God forbid love ever leave you empty-handed."
I hope that as you grow, decide who you are and who you want to be, you realize who gave you everything and made you who you are. Never forget to take a few minutes out of life to thank the One who gave you life. Know that every breath you take is a blessing, and treat it as such.
"I hope you still feel small when you stand beside the ocean,
Whenever one door closes, I hope one more opens."
Sometimes this world can feel a who lot smaller than what it is. You will get to the point where you feel trapped. Don't let those moments define you. When you stand in front of the ocean, I hope you feel just as small as you did the first time you saw it. I hope it never ceases to amaze you. Sometimes, when you take a step back and realize how small you are compared to this big ole world, you realize the problems you face aren't that grande and everything will be OK in the end.
"Promise me that you'll give faith a fighting chance."
Never give up and always have faith. Have faith that there is good in the world, love exists and there will always be ones who care about you.
"I hope you never fear those mountains in the distance,
Never settle for the path of least resistance."
Life gets hard sometimes, and it would definitely be a lot easier to just give into fear. But I hope you never do that. I hope new and challenging things never frighten you; that you look at every new obstacle in life as a chance to grow.
"Livin' might mean takin' chances but they're worth takin',
Lovin' might be a mistake but it's worth making."
Here's a bit of advice: half the time, when you're making a decision you aren't sure if it's going to end well or not—and that's OK. Take those chances, because it's better to take a chance than to live with the regret of not knowing. Same thing with love, you'll never regret loving someone—but you'll always regret never loving someone enough.
"Don't let some hell-bent heart leave you bitter,
When you come close to sellin' out, reconsider."
Some people are mean, and that's just how they are. No matter how nice and how forgiving you are to them they are always going to be mean, and there is nothing you can do about that so don't let it get you down. However, don't let those people make you want to give up on anything.
"Give the heavens above more than just a passing glance..."
Once again, never forget about God and His grace. Always slow down to thank Him for what he's given you and where He's brought you.
"And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance...I hope you dance"
No matter where you go or what you do, no matter where life takes you and what you become, I hope that you never sit anything out. I hope every moment turns into a cherished memory. I hope you find a reason and a way to dance through every part of life, and that you never have a reason to stop.
