We spent the evening tonight at a big square dance. Yes, my family square dances!! I do not because of the medical mumbo-jumbo, but most everyone else in the family has or does. It's cool!
The square dance community is a wonderful, all American group of folks. You know, like apple pie, Old Glory, and baseball. We began because our daughter Mary, then 10, wanted to dance after seeing the local group perform at our county fair. They pulled her up on stage and included her and she was instantly enamoured.
We knew the evening during her first class that we had run into something very special, much like the America of yesterday.
We knew the evening during her first class that we had run into something very special, much like the America of yesterday.
The square dance hall, built by the square dancers, is a simple, wooden building much like a cabin, with a beautiful dance floor and little kitchen. It feels like home. It's out in the country and the drive out there is so relaxing and lovely, we really enjoy it. On a warm summer evening, headed out to the hall with windows open and Alan Jackson blaring from the CD player......pure awesomeness!
Here we are eight years later and the folks there are like family to us. They have held benefit dances, auctions, even a pie auction (yum) for our family's medical expenses! They send us cards while we are in ICU in NYC, they leave messages on our Caring Bridge site and one couple has adopted us financially to get us through the kids' many surgeries. We couldn't have done it without them. Our children have many "grandparents"! They are family to us, they mean a great deal to us. We are blessed.
There is a wide age range in square dancing. From one gentleman who's 95 down to 8 yr olds who dance away with the grown ups. One of our sons was only 9 when he started and now is taller than most of the folks there. Our sons play cards with older gentleman and tease the older gals. It has been a great opportunity for our children to learn the value of older folks. One Saturday evening our 3 older boys, teens at the time, were standing visiting with one of the very old guys at the hall. A bit later he walked up to me and Ed with tears in his eyes and said, " I wanted to tell you what great boys you have, I can't believe they wanted to stand here and listen to me". He had been telling them about Normandy....like the storming of the beach at Normandy....because he was there!!! This man's stories were so compelling to our sons, and they were truly interested in what he had to say. They knew he sacrificed much.
One of the things we all enjoy is the food! Homemade, yummy, never ending food! Root Beer floats, brownies, pies, you name it someone brings it.
Mary's Trifle...Yum!
One of the things we all enjoy is the food! Homemade, yummy, never ending food! Root Beer floats, brownies, pies, you name it someone brings it.
People. Relationships. Caring. Listening. Dancing. Helping. Eating. Sharing. Laughing. Teasing. Playing.
This is square dancing.
If you're in need of exercise, entertainment, good music, awesome food and life long friendships look for a square dance club near you!! (Dancing is much easier than you might imagine and you don't have to wear a skirt and petticoat!)
~Blessings~
Lisa
This is square dancing.
If you're in need of exercise, entertainment, good music, awesome food and life long friendships look for a square dance club near you!! (Dancing is much easier than you might imagine and you don't have to wear a skirt and petticoat!)
~Blessings~
Lisa
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