If life is a dance, movement in time and space
That communicates and expresses to others
Then everything we do is dance, I believe that
And have taught that as a creative dance teacher
Many years ago in a university when I was younger
Thinner and more naive, then real life took over
As I joined forces with another professional dancer
Our dance was not one I would want to repeat
We could dance socially and on stage but our life
Together became a dance of deceit, intrigue, trickery
A sham of the life we set out to create together
After many years, I took control of this dance
Valued myself enough to set out as a soloist
Although a divorced mother of three growing sons
That was quite the dance, returning to Utah alone
As a single parent, struggling to make a living
Learning to forgive and forget and let go of the anger
Frustration and betrayal while performing my new role as
Mother, father, breadwinner, and an elementary teacher
So looking back I can feel only gratitude for today and
My husband of the past fifteen years who has integrity
Though we don’t dance socially we have managed
To choregraph a successful life together raising my last son
Now exploring our retirement, traveling, pursuing hobbies
And new interests has certainly been enjoyable
Creative and expressive, a dance of a new kind
I spent much of my youth attending tri-stake dances on Saturday nights. There were very few activities that took me away from them. We always had live bands and quite often were serenaded by a then upcoming group known as The Lettermen. The lights were always slightly dimmed... there were three huge mirror balls in the hall sending fragments of reflected light throughout the room. We had a great refreshment table laden with an assortment of goodies every week. The dances were always extremely well attended by a large group of young men and women from 18 to 30 something.
ReplyDeleteI danced contest with several different partners. One for swing, one for cha cha, one for waltz. As we danced, their were so many friends who surrounded us, standing on the sidelines, clapping to the music, swaying with the beat, cheering us on to victory.
I'm struck after reading your latest post about the variety of moods and the differing pace of each dance. There were dances that were upbeat and lively. We were always moving rapidly, tossing and spinning. Most of the contact we made with each other was through our hands.
There were other dances that required synchronized movement. Always moving together, even when our bodies made no contact. The beat seemed to pulse through our limbs and kept us a team, each with his/her own part to do...but always in harmony with one anothers movements.
When the music was softer,
smoother, our legs would intertwine and my partner would pull me close as we floated across the floor as one. I would close my eyes and feel the breath of the music as he would lift me, and we'd turn and sway together.
It seems as though Wayne and I partner in each dance at sometime throughout every day. We dance ourselves into a frenzy at times, each of us rapidly trying to keep pace with the other. I am forever circling around him as he puts his energy into keeping me from spinning out of control.
At some point each day, we dance in sync... each of us doing our own part... sometimes we are joined, sometimes we seperate, but the beat of our common goal pulses through each of us keeping us moving in harmony.
When we draw close to one another and intertwine our purpose, we move as one, he lifts me gently, I close my eyes and feel the breath of our companionship moving us together toward eternity.
I have always been partial to slow dances. I like to connect with my partner. I like the feeling of communion and intimacy that it invokes. Fast dances are fun for short periods of time... then they're exhausting.
It seems to be the way I like to live now that I'm growing older.
It's fun, indeed, to kick and spin, jump and laugh as we run through an active time together. But, I need to rest after such times.
I like the occasional drama of a latin dance...and we do have moments of intense drama.
But, It's so nice to move at a quieter pace... to draw close to my partner. To feel his arms as they encircle me and to know that he will be there to lift me and that we will always be in position to bouy one another up and help each other move in the direction Heavenly music would lead us.
Yes, life is a continuation of many dances. I am grateful for that. I am grateful that I learned to dance with my partner. I am also grateful that each of us has an opportunity to dance solo... to learn how to control ourselves and also to learn as individuals to keep moving across the stage gracefully. And I am forever and always grateful for the friends who surround us, clapping, swaying, and cheering us on.
Mom;
ReplyDeleteyou look so elegant. I love this photo of you. Life is a dance that sometimes one does not want to participate but when you look at the big picture we all love this dance..
Your way of writing biography is beautiful. salute you and your grand finale.
ReplyDeleteLife is at its best now I can tell!