talk about knowing who you are...

Hip Hop dance classes have started up again for S & Birdy.  They could hardly wait, they love it so much.  S has really improved, gained a little bounce in his step. Birdy...well, as if there was room for more, her self-confidence in her hip-hopping ability has also grown...I'm not sure I can say that about her actual ability. 

 Last year she had my husband and I nearly in tears from laughing (w/ joy not mockery) so hard while watching her rehearse in class.  They went left, she went right, they went right, she went left. I am not exaggerating, either. At the dance concert, which was the big finale of the season, she practically created her own solo she was so far out of formation.  Last week, for their first class, she backed into and tripped over a parent who was sitting on the floor, by the wall, observing!!

Hear me out here, I'm not trying to simply insult my daughter to all three of you occasional readers.  See, the really amazing thing about my lovely daughter is that I'm pretty sure, in her mind, she is an AWESOME dancer! I LOVE that about her.  She knows her moves.  She knows which way she is supposed to turn and twist and lock and pop.  She does the choreography and she's the best dancer out there.  

So she bumps into someone occasionally, it doesn't rattle her at all.  She just keeps at, albeit, usually a half step behind.  Afterward, she is always so excited to show me what she learned that day.  She is such a great example to me of personal identity.  She doesn't see herself as awful, or always a half step behind.  She doesn't see herself as 'making mistakes', she sees herself as a student, learning to dance.  Pretty simple huh?

That is why it is such a joy and pleasure to watch her.  She loves what she's doing and isn't afraid to try.  She isn't afraid to trip and fall....because falling does not define who she is.  The definition of who she is is not found in how well she does or doesn't dance.  She is free to be who God created her to be, free from inhibition.  I am grateful to her, for inspiring me.