Dancing with Billy and Parkinson's

He arrives each week at my front door panting and exhausted after climbing 3 flights of steps. He looks spent. Once again, he's driven through rush hour traffic on a Tuesday night for this event. He drops his bags and shoes just inside the door and as I hug him, he slumps in my arms, giving his weight and receiving my support unabashedly. He walks to the living room floor and carefully lowers himself to his hands and knees, then collapses on his back with a loud”Ahhhhhhhh”, that conveys, “I can let go now.” He is comfortable here and feels at home. I know he's fine just being still there, as I finish up the dinner preparations.

When I'm ready, I enter the living room and slowly approach him. I give myself to him physically, cautiously, sensing for what his body and soul wants and needs. He receives my body, and the spirit with which I offer it gratefully and with obvious pleasure. I begin to take him for a ride, a BodyRide, and we move together as one body, slowly, and with great grace and precision. We create our dance as we go, allowing it to unfold in the moment. In this slow flowing floor play we connect and communicate more intimately than words could ever touch.

I feel his shaking and sense the weakness in his arms and legs, but he loves my weight on his torso. He moans with unashamed pleasure when a particularly needed pressure finds its way into his body. I look into his eyes and they are shining with such deep affection, gratitude and innocence that my heart breaks with love. In this moment I see no trace of terror there.

"Nobody embraces me as fully as Harmony" --Billy Ray Boyd

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