Credibility of Government Once Again at Stake

When one is on the far side of 50 (sliding downhill even), it’s a bet that reasonable people might be forgiven for asking, “Why on earth did you ever take up tap dancing? Aren’t you the person who thinks using the television remote constitutes a full upper body workout? At your age, what the heck possessed you?”

To them all I say simply that I decided to take up tap dancing because I needed to get involved in some form of exercise, and no one wanted me on the Olympic Ski Team.

I enrolled in adult tap.

The other women in my tap class are perhaps a little younger than me (about two and a half decades). And they are each a little, shall we say, smaller, than me (about the size of my left thigh.)

They have all taken tap for some time, and most come to class in form fitting tights and tops. I tend to appear in those elasticized, ‘comfort-fit’ pants and men’s extra-extra-large t-shirts. 

Nonetheless, I am determined to get into shape through dance.

Actually, just bending over to try and get the tight buckles on my tap heels done up equals a full pre-class warm up for me.

Each week for months now we have extensively worked on steps like the frappé, shuffle ball change,  the brush, cramp, buffalo and Susie Q. And you know, just as soon as I can remember what any of those terms actually means, I’ll be fine. Currently, I struggle along about two taps behind everybody else in the chorus line: I would like to point out, in my defense, that it used to be four.

What I have primarily learned about tap recitals (yes, a recital!) is that you have to wear a costume. Recitals are an important high point of the dance school year, and hundreds of family and friends fill the hall to watch the performances.

Now that my teacher has firmly established that I must actually dance in front of the back drop curtain at the recital, I find I must also wear a costume. My class mates were very keen on the dance catalogue selections: short, strapless, backless frocks with lots of ruffles and glitter. Their suggestions were eye-catching. Youthful. Small. I mentioned that the last dress slacks I purchased carried a label that said ‘House of Omar the Tent Maker.’

We’ve actually compromised on a kind of 1920’s look for our recital number, complete with plenty of fringe. Still, in idle moments, I find myself imagining what the audience will be thinking if I get all that fringe swinging and swaying on stage, still two beats behind everyone else. Perhaps prairie wheat fields in a gale? Sigh.

The thing is, I like tap dancing. Really like it. I intend to go on.

Still, if I can’t get the choreography in the adult number down a little better by spring, I  secretly fear being ‘sent to the minors’ as it were: i.e. the junior tap class. 

This class is made up of five-year-old girls, with pig tails and pink tutus. 

I might stand out.

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Many rural areas of Canada, including South Dundas, have long suffered with slow speeds since the advent of high-speed internet. Urban residents enjoy ever-increasing speed in the digital age, while rural residents have to deal […]

“The fact that an opinion has been widely held is no evidence whatever that it is not utterly absurd; indeed, in view of the silliness of the majority of mankind, a wide-spread belief is more likely to be foolish than sensible.” – Bertrand Russell

I’ve found myself faced with a blank page and too many thoughts to count. And, so, I’ve decided to share some opinions and beliefs, which I should confess up front, may be rather unpopular. In any case, whatever I choose to say will come down to my own experience and thoughts on the subject. So, here it goes…

I believe that money is not the barometer for success. Although I do agree it has its uses. Happiness, contentment, love, self-respect… these are the things that predict true success. When all else is lost, what do you have left? Your thoughts, beliefs, and the choices you’ve made. 

I believe that life isn’t supposed to be fair or easy. It’s supposed to be a challenge, which by definition is probably going to be stressful at times and more than a wee bit difficult. Several years ago, I kept hearing “it is what it is” and it drove me crazy! Until… I finally understood that it’s true! Life happens. Things happen. Our role in life is to take things as they come; meet the challenges head on, do our best, and move forward. (I finally stopped saying, “but it’s not fair; it’s not right” and accepted things as they were, moving ever forward from there.)

In keeping with that line of thought, I also believe that our parents are not responsible for who we turn out to be. While they set the foundation, we still remain the captains of our own fate through our own attitudes and choices. We alone choose who we become.

I believe that we as parents have one purpose: to do the best that we can with what we have to give and to always ensure that our children know that they are loved, valued and respected. Without a ‘rule’ book, I believe that parents have to trust their instincts and use empathy when dealing with the hard or sensitive issues that will inevitably arise… probably during those stormy adolescent years.

In a related belief… I strongly believe that a person’s character can best be shown through how they treat those they  have ‘power’ over, like children, pets, employees and so on. Kindness and compassion, I believe, are the keys to a good character.

-SC

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