The Memory of the Dance

My earliest memories of dancing are of solo dancing/prancing around the yard pretending to dance. I have a vague memory of our country school attendees going to another country school and trying to learn to square dance.

Then there were the dance lessons at the Fairview neighborhood hall where an instructor was hired to teach round, square and folk dances. I remember watching Mom trying to teach my older brother how to dance when he was in highschool, but I don't recall her doing the same with my sister and me.

We had dances at The Rec after the highschool football and basketball games. I don't think I was ever asked to dance by a boy, though I did ask one or two of them to dance with me at the Sadie Hawkins Day dances. Mostly it was partnering with my girl friends to go out on the floor during fast dances. The only line dance I learned was The Stroll.

But I did love to dance! My first serious boyfriend did too. He preferred rock and roll, but also liked country. There were some dance halls in nearby towns where we went to dance. Through the years there were different partners and many memorable dances. I was never an accomplished dancer, but I could dance well enough to enjoy it. Whenever I got the chance, I danced.

What brought this subject to mind was the wisp of a song going through my mind this morning. I couldn't grasp enough of the lyrics to identify it - only "looking back on the memories". I couldn't even get enough of the tune to know if it was an old or new song, a country or mainstream tune. Finally I searched around enough to get it - The Dance by Garth Brooks, written by Tony Arata. 

It is a very poignant song of love and loss, but also one of gratitude for not missing the chance to dance. It could be a simile for one's life.

The Dance

Looking back
On the memory of
The dance we shared
'Neath the stars above

For a moment
All the world was right
But how could I have known
That you'd ever say goodbye

And now I'm glad I didn't know
The way it all would end
The way it all would go
Our lives are better left to chance
I could have missed the pain
But I'd have had to miss the dance

Holding you
I held everything
For a moment
Wasn't I the king?

If I'd only known
How the king would fall
Hey, who's to say
You know I might have changed it all

And now I'm glad I didn't know
The way it all would end
The way it all would go
Our lives are better left to chance
I could have missed the pain
But I'd have had to miss the dance

It's my life, it's better left to chance
I could have missed the pain
But I'd have had to miss the dance