Smiles Last for Miles

So, this is something I have wanted to comment on for the loooongest time. It's not like I have been too lazy or anything, I just keep having more and more relevant experiences that I don't know when to cut it off and tell about it. This is that time. Ready? Ohp, wait. I made brownies last night, I'm going to go grab one. Be right back.

Dang, that was good. K, sorry. I'm back on track. Ew, there's brownie on my keyboard...

Smiling. Not nearly as many people do it as they should. When I moved here to LA, it took a while to get smiles out of fellow dancers. It's not that every dancer here is mean or whatever, they just seemed to be all about themselves when I first got here. Also, a lot of them are foreign so they keep to themselves anyway since they don't know English too well yet (shout out to all the countries that my new friends are from! These people are AMAZING and have gone through so much to be here in LA making their dreams come true: London, Japan, Denmark, and Poland so far, thank you for sending all this talent to LA.)

The first couple months I lived and danced here, no one held the door, no one talked to me, no one smiled. I was really down about it at first... "I am being quiet in class, I don't bother anyone or dance in anyone's space...why aren't people talking to me?" and then I realized that I wasn't smiling either. Damn, that wasn't like me at all. I realized I needed to make an effort, too. Much to previous popular belief (in my own mind) the world does not revolve around me.

THEN! My life changed. It was a Wednesday, in case you were curious.

I walked into Debbie Reynolds Dance Studio to take JaQuel Knight's hip hop class. I walk in, pay, and ease on over to my usual sitting spot. I see a girl standing by the door who is talking to her friend. She has a red afro and a huge smile. I think "This is my chance to finally make a friend."

I smile at her and she says something to the effect of "Whoa! You smiled at me! People never smile here." *chuckle giggle laugh*

Through the entire class we make small talk and I meet her friends. I get their numbers afterwards and we say we are going to keep in touch and take class together. This didn't actually happen until like...December though. Anyway....

The girl I met that day was VANESSA FREAKIN' HERNANDEZ. Who is now my best friend :)

Turns out, my best friend knows pretty much every person in LA. The first class we took together after JaQuel's was Tucker's at Movement Lifestyle (woop woop). With Vanessa came Maddy and Tanner. With them came Delaney, Kevin, Jojo, Zack, Judson, etc. And with them came 239857193485 other amazing people that now make up my dance family.

(Now, Vanessa, when you read this, don't get all excited and think the only reason I made friends is because of you. You just made it happen faster. #somuch faster. I love you, curls.)

My point is, people, get the hell over yourselves. There are so many amazing people to meet and so much fun to be had, why on Earth would you want to spend your time being in your own zone and not smiling at people? A smile is the most SIMPLE thing you can do to let someone know you are acknowledging their presence. "Oh, you're a human? I'm a human, too. Let's be friends". So much meanness in life right now. There's a lot of that in the dance world. That "I'm 12-15 years old and I run this studio and this class because I'm the best in the world" shit. Let me just tell you, young teens give some professional mean looks. (Is that what they teach in middle school these days?) That doesn't make you mature, it just makes you mean. We are all here for the same reason, and that is to dance. Respect needs to flow through ANY interaction, no matter what age both parties are. Of course this extends past the dance world, but that's just mainly where I see it.

No one gets far by treating other people like dirt. NO ONE was put on this planet to please you, so spend your life getting HAPPY! Be freakin' happy, everyone. You can breathe, you can move, you can feel, you can LOVE. You're pretty damn lucky if you ask me. So am I. And now I definitely realize that. No more taking things for granted, no more wasting moments, no more passing up a chance to smile at someone. Even if they don't smile back, you know that you impacted their life. Maybe that person was having a bad day and a smile is all they needed. Or maybe that person is having a great day and you are just the cherry on top. Perhaps the person doesn't even notice you. WHO CARES. Just smile. They could end up being your best friend!

Sorry if this sounds harsh, guys. I just want to see some love being spread around instead of hate or rudeness or stuck-up...ness. Ew.

Be thankful for EVERYONE who comes into your life because they all have a lesson to teach (good or bad). Start with a smile and I guarantee you will start that lesson in a receiving and positive way. This life isn't about going through the motions. It's about learning and doing and learning and loving and learning and dancing. For me, at least. And, just for the moment, it's also about brownies.

Brownies: Miranda, get off that computer. Come back to me.
Miranda: Okay.

With love and a smile,
                   Miranda Ordonez


P.S. When have you ever heard someone look at a person and be like "Dayummm! That person has the most beautiful pissed-off face I've ever seen. Their frown is so vibrant. I'm so turned on by their rudeness. I'm gonna go talk to that person." Umm...no. Smiling people are happy people. Happy people are pretty people. Let's all be pretty together.