Wednesday Wisdom

I was in dance lessons on and off
since the tender age of 3.

Tap.
Jazz.
And eventually, ballet.

When I was 14, my dad built me my very own studio
in our basement.
A friend who was taking pointe,
showed me how to do a few basic moves.

I would spend hours in the basement,
listening to classical music,
stretching at my barre,
and attempting to
tondu
releve
pique
pirouette...

When I was 20 I took up ballet
at the Minnesota Dance Theater
in downtown
Minneapolis.

After a few months of twice a week classes
I officially graudated from Capezio leather ballet slippers
to Bloch pointe shoes.

I thought I was soooo cool. 
Then my toes started hurting.
Bad.
And I started practically starving myself.

It wasn't long before I decided
it just wasn't worth it.

When people ask,
I'll tell them I used to dance.
Ballet, I'll say.

My feet can handle anything now,
I joke.

Yesterday,
I read a quote from a friend
on facebook,
"You are infinitely more valuable being exactly who you are
than you'll ever be trying to be something you're not."

I happened into a PT clinic yesterday,
and the person I was supposed to meet
was off site doing Physical Therapy
for Ballet Austin.

I said to the woman who was helping me in his stead,
"Oh how fun! I used to dance."
She then went on to talk about another clinician who
spent a few years
as a professional dancer.

To which I replied,
"Oh, I was never any good. I just pretended."

She smiled wide and laughed
a big, boisterous, hearty laugh.

As did I.
This might not seem like much
but to me, it's a big deal.

I've stepped out of the dream
of ever becoming a phenomenal
dance ingenue. 

And I am
actually
perfectly okay with that. 

Cheers,
A