You Had To Be There

An Independence Day Miracle

I love to dance. Since I was a child, I danced a lot, even if there was no music. I could hear in my mind's ear. In Los Angeles, during high school, I was a street dancer as we competed against other street dancers. Since I was a gymnast, I could do flips when I danced.

When I grew up in Korea, I danced a lot at night clubs, for I always felt alive. When I lived in Hawaii, I went to clubs and women would ask me to dance. Sometimes they asked me out too. I was at home in such clubs.

Then I found myself getting sick and going to the doctors and ER a lot. Finally, I woke up the next day in an ER and the doctor smiled and said, I think you have cancer, but I don't know what type.

So they started to do tests and found out that I did have stage 4 cancer meaning that I had cancer for about 3 or 4 years already.

I went to MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas, the number one cancer hospital in the world. I wanted to live and dance more.

My best friend, Isabella, promised to take me dancing if I survived cancer because I was in the hospital for 3 years with stage 4, Non-Hodgkin cancer, and I was told to prepare for my funeral, and write my last will and testament.

Instead of keeping me in the hospital for more chemo treatment, they released me to die in peace. One night I had terrible headaches and my head had swollen, but I never have such head aches before, so my daughter took me to the ER and they did a lot of tests. She cried as she drove me there. They gave me drugs, so I would sleep, and the next morning, I woke up.

A doctor was smiling by my bed and told me good news: the tests showed I was now cancer free. A miracle occurred, so I texted my best friend, she said let's go dancing this weekend to celebrate.

My best friend was Latina and a very good dancer. I grew up in Korea, and everyone dances there at parties. My mother, aunts and grandmother were great dancers. Just watch K-pop music videos and you will understand that Koreans love to dance.

It just happened to be a Colombian holiday, Independence Day, so the dance was in a Colombian disco. My friend, Isabella, was such a masterful dancer. We often went to dance clubs.

Then it was announced, there would be a Salsa dance contest. I was about to sit down.

Isabella nodded her head no as we stayed to dance with others. Oddly, I had no idea what Salsa dancing was. Therefore, as I danced, I just watched the men and imitated them. I was just happy to be alive and cancer free.

The top five dance couples were chosen, then the top four couples were chosen, and then the top three.

This was all decided by audience applause. Then the top 3 dancing couples were chosen. Then the top two couples were chosen. We were still chosen.

Then a miracle, we won. I hug Isabella, for I had never won a dance contest and to win one with my best friend celebrating being cancer free. I was so happy.

However, it wasn't over, for the audience was asked to vote on whom was the best Salsa dancer that night. They voted on me. I just laughed in disbelief. Hell yes!

The strange thing about Colombia, is that there is an eternal civil was between the government and the Drug Cartel. The Drug Cartel owns most of Colombia. However, Isabella would drive me through those lands so we can go to great night clubs, but she warned me that we might be stopped by the Drug Cartel, but since she was poor, they would let us go.

However, she told me, alway image that today is your last day, your last dance, and your last chance.

You had to be there. . . .

Everybody Dance the Salsa Dance. . .