The Dance Of Life

Life is nothing more than one large Arthur Murray Dance School. From the moment we take our first steps as toddlers, we go through life learning new and different steps. The music we dance to is the rhythm of life. With every new situation, relationship, and employer, we have to learn new steps to be successful.

As kindergartners and throughout elementary school we learn the basic steps of how to get along with others, and how to play well with others. As we enter high school we get into more complicated relationships; boyfriends, girlfriends, dating, the steps we learn change and become more complex. We learn that in a relationship sometimes you call the tune, and sometimes the other person will call the tune you both dance to.

As young adults we learn that our employers, and bosses will be calling the tune, and teach us the steps we have to dance to. As we grow and move up the corporate ladder, we learn that we have to follow the tune of our bosses, while calling the tune for our underlings. The dance becomes more complex.

In marriage we often find that the steps that were once so exciting have become routine and boring. To keep a marriage alive and vibrant you have to incorporate new steps from time to time to stay interested, or in time we will find new partners to dance with.

There is an old saying that people hate change, that is true, but they really hate dull and routine even more. Life is all about growth and change, and we reflect that in our dance.

Today life is changing at a pace never seen before by man. Everyday it seems that we have to learn new steps in order to survive. Life is certainly more difficult, but it is definitely not boring.

As for me, I’m dancing as fast as I can.

I Said, You Said

Everyone is probably familiar with the phrase "he said, she said", in which a couple is fighting and neither can see anything from the other person's point of view. Each person is so wrapped up in their thoughts, and feelings, that it is impossible to see that each person is correct, and each person is wrong; all at the same time.

This situation is true, not only with inter-sexual relationships, but with all conflicts in general. The reason for this is the inability to empathize outside ourselves. Empathy is the ability, or rather the gift, to be able to put yourself in someone's position, and feel their feelings. It is a sign of higher development in one's spiritual growth.

No one does something without a reason. Empathy is not an agreement with someone else, it is a knowing of where someone else stands and why. It is the ability to understand, and perhaps feel what the other person feels. When both sides of a dispute, or conflict, open themselves to empathize with the other side; resolution is the inevitable ending. This usually comes about in a form of compromise between the two parties.

When there is no attempt, or an inability to empathize, hostility is the inevitable result. In the case of two nations, this means war; in the case of interpersonal relationships this means a divorce, or violence. These are the situations where everybody loses.

Sadly, empathy is not taught in our schools. Most people have to learn it by trial, and error. Some people never learn it.
The next time you find yourself in a dispute, take a time out, and try to see things from the other person's point of view. Chances are, the other person will reciprocate. That's when everybody wins.