The ballroom dance student’s journey offers many paths, with two major styles and 19 dances. Levels of competition include newcomer, pre-bronze, bronze, silver, gold, and open. In each of these, we master something, gain confidence, move to the next level, then take things apart and return to humble square one. This process reminds me of my spiritual journey. Just when I think I have evolved to a new level, something breaks me apart and humbles me to square one. Family estrangements, parenting chronic illness, mid-life divorce — opportunities abound for growth and permutations of paths on my spiritual journey. Today was one of those break-everything-apart days, one of those sit in my “hot loneliness” days, one of those go-back-to-humble-square-one days. On these days when I am a newcomer once again, I remember lessons all my teachers in dance and life have taught me, and know the journey will continue.
Life Lessons from the Dance Floor 