Important Dance Step
The Twist. Watusi. Ballroom. Square. Tango. There are all sorts of dances made up of all sorts of steps. Left. Right. Shuffle. Hop. Forward. Back.
Sometimes the most important step in a dance is a step back.
This past week there was a discussion about a complex issue that involved many people and organizations. People were taking positions. People were proposing actions. Drastic. Things were tense. Things were on edge. It was an increasingly conflicted dance.
A step back seemed prudent.
That’s often the best step in life’s dances.
World leaders are at loggerheads. They amass troops. They posture. They build alliances. They rattle their sabers. Citizens watch as the leaders dance dangerously with lives at stake. In such cases a step back can save lives.
My handyman skills are limited. As they say, enough to be dangerous. I get ticked easily when the project gets complicated or takes a twist I had not anticipated. Dancing with the saws and the hammers and the immovable objects and the parts that don’t quite fit frustrates. My best move in such situations is to take a step back.
Couples are tangled up in hurt. Maybe boredom too. The kids watch them waltz about taking positions and keeping score. Lawyers join the dance. Things build to a frantic pitch. A step back, maybe a hard step, becomes crucial.
Congregations have competing voices. This board or group wants this. The pastor has something else in mind. Some other group wants something else. And the situation of the local community adds additional challenges. Such a dance gets awkward in a hurry. Things will only begin to settle when participants take a step back.
Holiday Season arrives. Travel arrangements are being made. Christmas cards are being addressed. The Thanksgiving dinner menu is being finalized. Relatives and friends will assemble along with baggage from the years, differences of opinion on politics, conflict regarding finances, and fractures in relationships. As you gather with others for a “holiday dance”, keep in mind that to have a joyful celebration your best move might be a step back.
The dances of life. As you interact with others in various ways, keep in mind that while it might take two to tango, if just one takes a step back, the beauty of the dance can be restored. And never hesitate to take the lead in that step.