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talking to myself

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The Dance of life


markdohle

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The Dance of life

 

This morning, the reading at the end of the 2nd Nocturne during Vigils, had to do with our relationship with God and life, using the metaphor of dancing.  I liked the metaphor and found myself smiling and even laughing at what the reading presented to me to ponder.

Dancing came naturally to me, I guess like many, I always had a good sense of rhythm and could allow the beat to speak to me.  It got into my blood; it burned, lifted me up and took me outside of myself.  I did-not have to think or perform, I just did it.   I guess dancing is one of the most common, as well as one of the most joyful gifts that is bestowed on mankind.  All cultures dance in groups, anyone can do it and it brings a sense of union with others as well as a reaching out to something larger.  When the ‘zone’ is reached the dance can go on and on and all that can be done is to allow the body and soul to become one and to fly, or the closest thing to it.  At times I would weightless.

Being overly self-conscious will inhibit the ability to dance.  It is like sports, the more one is aware of what needs to be done, the less skill is involved.  I never could let go of self-consciousness when playing sports, so I was always the last one picked for any team and for good reason.  I would not want me on my team!  The only time I  did well at sports was I forgot, or was surprised and actually did well. No time for self consciousness I just allowed the body to do it. 

We dance with life as well and the more we try to control it and those around us the clumsier it can get.  Friendship is not about control, but about openness and trust of the other…..without it, it can become a power struggle between two people and in the end it dies or becomes something else, but not friendship.  Parents who learn that at a certain age their children can’t be told what to do, if they can let go, friendship is often the result.  If they can’t, well the parent-child struggle can continue throughout life, no matter the age of the child. 

Perhaps life is a dance.  As well as our relationship with God, it is about being led and allowing oneself to be simply loved and embraced at a very deep level.  When Jesus asked us to become childlike, he was telling us a truth about the nature of who we are and of our place in reality.  Childlike behavior is not about being immature, but about trusting in the process we are all in.

When young in high school and in the Navy, I danced for hours every week, often achieving a kind of ecstasy.  When I played sports it was a painful exercise in futility.  What was the difference?  In one I forgot my ‘self’, in the other all I could do is to focus on ‘self’ and in the end I froze or became clumsy at it.  The happiest day of my life was when I quit little league….no doubt a happy time for my team mates as well. 

Children dance and play without thought.  Then they grow up and often lose that ability, which is sad, but perhaps necessary.  Perhaps our lives are an attempt to once again to reach this childlike aspect of ourselves but in a different way and on a deeper level.   We hopefully reach childlike/maturity.—Br.MD

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