Just swinging…

It’s not a new thought, per se…but I still think it’s a good one. Life is a kind of dance. Up until about a year ago, I could identify with the idea behind the analogy. I mean really, what girl doesn’t dream about a perfect waltz with Prince Charming, or Prince Phillip, or even Robin Hood (thank you Disney!)? But after I began my journey into the dance world, I understood a little more, and I wrote the following poem:

Dancing (2007) ~ Regina

Abandon
My hair swirls in time with the music
As I spin free, yet secure within your frame
For a brief moment I am not alone in my adventure
We are on this journey together
Moving with the ebb and flow of the song
Trust
Following your lead as we traverse the floor
We are the center of attention
Yet all else fades from view
And we are the only ones in the room
Right now, I’m not clumsy or confused
I am sure in your arms, graceful in your lead
And confident in your path
Embracing and embodying the joy of the music
We are the song
Freedom
The voices of brass and percussion
Come to a gallant conclusion…and fade to silence…
Time stands still and for this brief eternity I am content
But then the moment ends
Our paths separate
And I am left to walk alone again


There are lots of times when my relationship with God feels just like that. However, the more that I walk with him and learn more about him…the more our dance feels like a lindy hop. There’s structure, but we’re certainly not bound by it. I never know what to expect next. I have to constantly keep in mind what I know about the “rules” but I have to be ready at any moment for a crazy move or mischievous moment. I am constantly learning that for as much as God is regal and holy…he’s also joyful and playful. But either way, the heart of the poem is true: “worship” or “life” or whatever label you want to call it, is about embracing the moment and just being the song.

The best part? The more often you dance with someone, the more familiar you become with who they are and their dance language…and the more fun you can have together. It’s a beautiful thing to watch a well-established partnership out on the floor just doing their thing.

Dancing truly is a dialogue between two partners. It takes as much strength to lead as it does to follow, because the leader can propose a move, but the follower has the choice of where or not to come along for the ride (Thank you Antonio Banderas).

So perhaps it follows that the strength of my faith can be seen in how I trust and follow the lead I am given. Can I embrace it…even if it’s something I don’t expect, or something I’ve never seen? How well do I know my partner? How much do I trust him?

How much fun can I have with him figuring it out?