• "Five, six, seven, eight!"

    And then the dance begins.

    "One and two and three and four..."

    Don't mess up.

    "And one, and two, and three, and four..."

    Keep a smile on your face.

    "Listen to the beat!"

    Focus; never let your mind wander.

    "Faster! Faster! Faster! Don't slow down!"

    Try to keep up...

    But then you fall away and you lose to the thunder of the music.

    You can't surface.
    You messed up.
    Everything tumbles down.

    Close your eyes.
    Lock the tears away.
    Get up and keep going.

    "Turn, step, twirl..."

    Repeat the mantra in your head.

    "Turn."

    Don't get confused.

    "Step."

    Firmly plant you feet.

    "Twirl."

    Be the wind.

    And then the music slows.
    You feel the tears come.
    Running down your face, making shiny patterns.

    In the mist of this your partner changes.
    And again.
    And again.
    And again.

    Your confusion clouds your thoughts, mind, and sight.
    You slip away into a haze of gray.


    Life is a dance.

    You will fall, you will make mistakes, you will change partners, you will feel lost, but Life is constant.
    Ever moving, ever flowing.
    It gives you a beat, a rhythm, a sound.
    As you grow the dance gets more complex, faster, stronger, harder.

    There will be hurt, anger, and pain.
    But through it all you must stay strong.
    Do not drop out.
    Don't stop.
    Don't waste your life.

    I know it is hard but you can't give up not knowing.

    So please stay.
    Stay here.
    For your friends.
    For your family.
    For Jesus.
    For the future.
    For the child you may one day have.
    For the husband that will sweep you off your feet.
    For the memories you have yet to have.
    For everything you haven't experienced yet.
    For me.
    For you.