Another brilliant piece from a GUNNAS WRITING MASTERCLASS writerShe heard it through the throng, through the cacophony of sound and sway of humans going with and against the tide of movement. She craned her neck, this way and that, trying around and above the crowd to visualise what she could hear. The crowd too thick to allow her. She became impatient as we moved closer her small plump warm body starting to instinctively move in my arms, bobbing up and down, swaying from side to side. She caught my gaze and with a questioning shrug of her shoulders palms up, a quizzical gaze full of excitement and wonder that needed no words, she has none… still I knew she was asking, what and where is it?
Her impatience grew as we moved closer to the source of her inquisitiveness , ah now she has seen something too, she pushes her strong swollen little bumble bee body out of my arms, impatient, wriggling and insistent to get down and explore, too get closer. Still though a little uncertain she holds my hand while leading the way through the crowd, looking back everyone now and then to reassure herself I am on this journey with her, she moves unbashedly, determindely and almost reverentially to the source and stands in the centre of a large circle of people, who were there to worship before her.
Slowly with the first sign of self conciousness that i had seen she starts to sway, her body is hesitant, unfamilar movements it does not recognise what she wants. Her feet begin to move, awkward and with little coordination, she tries all the movements at once rocking her body, shuffling her feet and swinging her arms. She forgets that people are watching and loses herself entirely in her moment. The song has finished almost before she has had time to feel the joy of it completely, it does not matter to her, she claps and laughs, her eyes bright and mouth wide open making sounds in her own language. Then it starts again, she is delighted and this time has completely immersed herself in the movement, sound and rhythm, she claps, she twirls, she laughs and copies my clumsy attempts to show her more, I realise that i have forgotten about the crowd and am caught up in the moment, in the joy of this tiny little girl in her new ballerina dress, being herself, being present and being utterly joyful. Somehow with no language she knows the night is over, she claps and cheers again and then, she solemnly pulls me by the hand to ‘meet the band’ who are standing by the side of the stage chatting happily and energetically. She stands quietly and waits to be noticed, when she is she shows her new dress and responds by petting and cooing when she is shown one in return. She attempts to take off a bracelet she is wearing to give to one of the ladies, who graciously does not accept, instead they wave goodbye… and the night is over but not the joy or the wonder of this moment. To only be experienced once in this way.