Dance was always my companion and my salvation. As a little girl, I remember that whenever I felt sad or happy , dancing made me feel energized and enthused immediately. It was like magic. And I resorted to dancing again and again. It become a compulsion . And an obsession. I was hopelessly in love with dancing. I still remember my conservative South Indian Father and Mother not being very happy about my passion. They wanted me to be the good Indian girl who excelled in academics and public speaking. None of this dance business. “Nonsense “, my mother said. “Act mature”. “Don’t go around dancing everywhere. Stay still. “ But of course, when you fall in love, reason doesn’t exist. I kept my secret affair with dance even while I stayed married to Nursing. And somehow. I didn’t feel like I had to choose. I could be good at both. And that is how it has been. Veneetha Roy, MSN, RN,ARNP . Pediatric Nurse Practitioner and Dancer. But of course , I never stopped falling in love. I fell in love with Photography. And how could I forget my first love , Writing. And somehow, it all fell together . It all become a part of my discovery and soul search. My journey. All that I loved and nurtured brought me alive. And I did not feel the need to compete with the beautiful girl next door or the smart Nurse practitioner at work. Because I was engrossed in my own love affairs with writing, pediatrics , neonatology, dance, music, biking, running, photography ….And this love strengthened me. Made me come alive. Defined who I was. And I felt myself becoming. Every South Indian parent loves to say this catchphrase “become something in life” “make your parents proud “. But to really understand that word, you have to go deep into your self and understand who you are. Experiment with yourself and life. To truly see the myriad colors of your personality , you have to be swirled in the palette of life. Through agony, sorrows, success, laughter, joy you find out who you really are. And you fall in love with your own self. The beautiful you. The unique you. No one can take away that self love. Self loathing ceases…. and you know, that no matter who abandons you. You have got you.

Below is a link to my YouTube dance video