And the Dance Goes On

“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 of had to miss the dance 
Yes my life is better left to chance 
I could have missed the pain but I'd of had to miss the dance..” 

The Dance by Garth Brooks

I have always loved Garth’s song.  I’ve often thought about so many aspects of my life and wondered if I would have danced so fast or furiously forward if I’d known what was to come. 

Life is a dance.  Somehow we humans associate dancing with only pleasure, but ask any dancer how many risks and how much pain is involved in the process and they’ll be happy to tell you.  Most of us want to dance when we’re joyful and sit out the rest of the time, but we must make all of life a dance.  We memorize our little steps and dance them religiously, instead of allowing spontaneity to lift us up…which is, in essence, missing The Dance.

How boring would the ballet be if they only danced to the happy tunes?  Swan Lake would have a pretty boring ending. 

Dance is the universal language, like love.  The way we dance our lives, shouts who we are.  A life that’s well danced will invite others to join in.  People watch us live with joy and authenticity and soon their feet are tapping in time just before they jump up and join in.  Getting people to their feet is all they usually need to create their own music and steps.

As we dance through our life or as we dance with death, we simply must decide who will lead!

Take the lead.

Enjoy every second and make the music your own right to the end of your dance!

I danced in the morning when the world was begun
I danced in the Moon & the Stars & the Sun
I came down from Heaven & I danced on Earth
At Bethlehem I had my birth:

Dance then, wherever you may be
I am the Lord of the Dance, said He!
And I'll lead you all, wherever you may be
And I'll lead you all in the Dance, said He!
(...lead you all in the Dance, said He!)

I danced for the scribe & the pharisee
But they would not dance & they wouldn't follow me
I danced for fishermen, for James & John
They came with me & the Dance went on:

Dance then, wherever you may be
I am the Lord of the Dance, said He!
And I'll lead you all, wherever you may be
And I'll lead you all in the Dance, said He!
(...lead you all in the Dance, said He!)
[ Lyrics from: http://www.lyricsmode.com/lyrics/s/sydney_carter/lord_of_the_dance.html ]
I danced on the Sabbath & I cured the lame
The holy people said it was a shame!
They whipped & they stripped & they hung me high
And they left me there on a cross to die!

Dance then, wherever you may be
I am the Lord of the Dance, said He!
And I'll lead you all, wherever you may be
And I'll lead you all in the Dance, said He!
(...lead you all in the Dance, said He!)

I danced on a Friday when the sky turned black
It's hard to dance with the devil on your back
They buried my body & they thought I'd gone
But I am the Dance & I still go on!

Dance then, wherever you may be
I am the Lord of the Dance, said He!
And I'll lead you all, wherever you may be
And I'll lead you all in the Dance, said He!
(...lead you all in the Dance, said He!)

They cut me down and I leapt up high
I am the Life that'll never, never die!
I'll live in you if you'll live in Me -
I am the Lord of the Dance, said He!

Dance then, wherever you may be
I am the Lord of the Dance, said He!
And I'll lead you all, wherever you may be
And I'll lead you all in the Dance, said He!

The Lord of the Dance by Sydney Carter