It's not who we are, but rather who we could become that matters....on the dance floor and off.

Mom,
You've said "Be careful what you wish for." before...and it's true!!
I sent you that picture from Guatemala of the billboard, "Have you ever danced until your feet hurt?" and while I have, I can't quite remember when that was...until tonight!

I just danced for 3 hours in 3 different lessons...in my new dance shoes...The beginner class of the Bachata, (which is a dance from The Dominican), and it was so fabulous that I stayed for the level 2 class, too! I'm light on my feet, thankfully. (Did I get that from you? I know you like dancing and I'm sure you are very light on your feet.) Then, there was another class called La Rueda, which is another Latin American dance but more of a group dance (NOT like line-dancing though...more like square dancing where you are always trading partners.) It was amazing!!! Amazing!! AMAZING!!!

Three hours later, I find myself at home, with sore feet and sore muscles in my face, from smiling so much! I met TONS of fabulous new people and am so excited to finally (better late than never) get into a group of people that LOVE dancing!

I am a bit in shock over what I've signed up for over the next month...
- tango on Monday night's
- the bachata (2 classes) and la rueda on Tuesday night's
- AND salsa on Wednesday night's

I guess this is what living intentionally is all about!

Did you know that there are trips to these far-off islands in the Caribbean and South America where people go and take dance lessons for a week or two?!

Who knew...

Tonight, I'm reminded of SO MANY things you've taught me through my experience dancing this evening and so far this week...

- have faith...and things will always work out.
- show up!
- just take one tiny step forward towards the direction I want to go
- if I don't like it, change it
- the only person getting in my way is me
- find the courage to step up
- follow my heart
- listen to that little voice inside that's whispering, "everything is going to be OK. Don't worry. You'll fit right in. "
- thank you God for unanswered prayers
- patience, patience...
- no one said it was going to be easy
- just try
- live with abandon
- tell the truth (to myself)
- just be myself (that is enough)
- think of others and call out their spirit

Mostly, tonight, I was reminded of this last one...to call out the spirit of others.

We're all there, in the dance classes, learning to dance...and it didn't seem to matter if I screwed up the dance step or if they did or if the dance sequence was flawless...what mattered was that people felt like they were acknowledged. Seen. Accepted. Admired. Not for who they really were...but for who and what they could become...on the dance floor and off!

Isn't that what life's all about...striving to become what we could be...and hoping that others' might either get a glimpse of that actual magnificence...if they can see the spirit inside of each of us and call it out....and even if they can't see just how spectacular we are inside...their simple belief in the possibility of who and what we are capable of...that is enough for us to surpass even what we imagined we could become!

Mom, thank you for having faith...not in who I am...but in who and what I could become.
I am grateful. And blessed. And if you can believe it, I've got the hottest dance shoes ever!
love Crystal