Last night I attended a Valentines dance that my stake put on. Both youth and adults were invited so I took my younger brother since my parents weren't feeling well. Dances aren't usually my favorite as I love to ballroom dance, even though I don't know much, and not many people know any or will dance it. I prefer the slow dances because even if I don't know the song I can be talking to someone. Or at least, that's how it used to be...
While I was working out of state I learned how to loosen up and dance with my upper body, instead of just doing dance steps (not a whole lot of dance space behind a grill). This made the fast dances that I didn't know much more enjoyable. The slow dances were actually the less enjoyable part because there were not many youth at all so there was no one to dance with. (And none of them were waltzes, which I will dance by myself.) I had made the determination before I ever went to a stake dance not to ever do the jump up and down with your fist in the air dancing. Unfortunately this caused me to avoid using my arms for almost anything while dancing. I am so glad that I have been able to learn a more fun way to dance, and have gotten over my inhibitions.
I never thought that I would be selected to participate in a disco competition. They played a disco song, and after everyone had danced they had a few people select their favorite disco dancer and had a small dance off. With all the adults there who had actually lived through the disco era I didn't expect to be chosen, but one of the judges came up to me and had me go up. She mentioned that disco was a 'little' before my time, and I agreed with her. She mentioned that disco was during her high school years, and that she thought it was fun.
I came to the realization that just because it doesn't come from your era doesn't mean that it isn't fun. This can apply to people of all ages. The younger people can learn to appreciate things from eras before them, that just because they are 'old' doesn't mean they are dumb or embarrassing. The not as young people can learn to accept and perhaps enjoy some of the newer things. They aren't too strange or too difficult. There are things in every era that perhaps could/should do without, but there are also things that are worth keeping.
I was resting during one of the slow dances and had a chance to look out at all of the couples dancing on the floor. I thought it was so cute to see all of the couples dancing close to each other, it was so tender. I want to be that way with my husband whenever it might be that I get married. I wouldn't do that while I'm still single, but that is a beautiful part of marriage.
I didn't think that I could learn so much from a stake dance, but it just goes to show that if you live your life so you are always learning, any experience can teach you something unexpected.
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