Life's a Dance

For the Ladies:
Some of my girlfriends and I were sitting around the kitchen the evening past, discussing how ballroom dancing is a beautiful metaphor for life. When dancing, even if you have not been well familiarized with the steps, it is crucial that you look your partner in the eyes, trusting yourself to his lead. It is much easier to follow, not to mention looks better, when you have settled your gaze upon him as opposed to your feet. A woman who watches her feet cannot help but battle for the lead in a desperate attempt to get the footwork down and avoid humiliation; in doing this she forgets her distinct but necessary role and tries to control where the movement will lead making it impossible for both her and her partner to dance properly. A roused confidence and surrender almost magically causes her feet to move with greater ease and agility. It is also important that the woman, in her frame, maintain some resistance. If she posses a sort of rag-doll passivity in her following, the man has no way of communicating to her where they are to go because she can neither receive or respond. In this case she is not freely following but being awkwardly pulled along, again not transforming the movement into dance. An active receptivity is necessary for her to respond to his leading invitation. If the lady, in confidence and trust, can keep her gaze on him, allowing him to move her along by communicating to her where they are to go and what she is to do by an active receptivity than the movement transcends that of motion and becomes a dance: graceful and beautiful bringing joy to both the dancers and the observers. So remember ladies, whether it be our loving Lord or your own handsome and charming Mr. Darcy, keep your eyes on him with a confident and trusting disposition and follow his lead with an active receptivity and you will never be left wanting for the romance and excitement of life!! I must thank my housemate Megan whose feminine insights shared were the source of inspiration for this entry.