When Jon was in high school, I remember other moms asking me how I let such a sweet, calm young boy play such a tough sport. After he went on to play in college, high school moms would still ask me if they should let their boys play football. I was adamant that if the child wanted to play, they should play. Yes, it is a tough sport, but the lessons Jon learned being on those teams were extremely valuable to him as he has become a man. How to work as a team, how to overcome adversity, how to lose gracefully, and win with humility. He had some great coaches, and he had lots of support, but he also had some really rough times. He learned how to work through exhaustion, disappointment, and pain, something I see lacking in so many young people right now. He pushed through the pain too much and eventually it ended his college career early. But that is another story.
When I was trying to figure out what to wear for dance this morning I thought about what I have learned in my six semesters of dance. I have learned a little dance- I actually got a thumbs up and a word of congratulations on Tuesday for doing something right. It is a rare occurrence. But, just as most boys who play football never go on to play in college and very few play in the NFL, the things they learn other than the actual game are what have real value, I too have learned more important things than how to do a pirouette. I have learned how tough I am and how I can put the laughter of others out of my mind long enough to do what I have to do. I have learned to enjoy the feel of music in my body even if I can not express it very well with that old body. I think it helps my singing and musicality.
I really like how fit I have become, especially this semester when I have had back to back dance classes which even though it is only twice a week it is for 2 and a half hours that I am working out, warming up and dancing. Between that and all of the walking I do between classes, I need no other work out. I am stronger and more fit than ever. I will miss that and have already talked to one of my dance teachers about how to continue. I have always worked out, walked and stayed fit, but dancing goes way beyond what I have done before.
Mostly, I have learned this semester to live in the moment. With so much else going on in my life, while I am in dance class I forget all of it. I have to concentrate on what is happening right now or I will fall, get run over or worse. Dancing is right now, it is all consuming and when you are done you feel better, even if you performed poorly, as I usually do. So now when I am singing or doing a scene or monologue, that is all I do. The cares of the world are put aside and all I am doing is living the moment I am in. That is a very useful skill off of the dance floor as well as on.
So for all of my complaining and joking about my lack of dance ability and for all of my bruises and sore back, hips and feet I have kept for these three years of dance, I am almost sad to say I only have 16 more dance days before I graduate. Eight more weeks of school. I will probably not be called on to dance again in my life, but I never say never. So I move on with lessons learned and body fit, grateful to have had the dance experience- even though it nearly killed me!!!!
