I Hope You Dance

I cheered with millions of American viewers, as Melissa, of last season's BACHELOR'S debacle, graced the floor Monday night on the season's premiere of Dancing With the Stars.

And with only 48 hours to prepare...

Surprisingly, she demonstrated eloquence, poise, class, and strength of character.

This, in the face of the public humiliation of being dumped by Jason, the man of her dreams.

Truth be told, many of us would have difficulty even getting out of bed after such a devastating blow. But there she was, smiling all the while.

She epitomized what love and life are all about: moving forward in spite of life's setbacks;particularly when rejection comes with no rhyme or reason.

She had high hopes when she was chosen from over dozens of women to be in the final running as the next to wed the hunk of the month.

By all accounts, she did everything right, and so for her efforts, she won Jason's heart and an engagement ring to boot! Then he broke it off to be with another woman on the show.

OUCH!

Unfortunately, it happens to the best of us. For me, it occurred some years ago when a guy I absolutely adored “pink-slipped” me via a cowardly E-mail message---without warning or rationale.

Needless to say, I was crushed. It's a good thing we weren't engaged, or I would have become an over-night TV Star too—except it would have been on the evening news!

Still, in the spirit of Gloria Gaynor's anthem for women, “I will survive” (iTunes song link) --- I did just that. I resolved to become better, and not bitter!

And I did...

I busied myself with writing projects, and managed to secure some lucrative long-time assignments, and expanded my business. I updated my hair-do, became even cuter, and fixed up my home. And I learned to let go with grace. And, in my busyness, you know what happened? I came to my senses and realized that he got the “short end of the stick.” He didn't deserve the new me. In actuality, he didn't even deserve the old me!

What the heck was I thinking? In retrospect I wondered... (I could'a had a V-8)!

How about you?

Are you having difficulty dealing with a lost love? Suffering from low self-esteem due to a lack of self-appreciation? If your life could be compared to a dance would it be a waltz? Tango? Two-step? Or Salsa? Are you singing the blues? Or are you whistling a happy tune?

Don't let the disappointments of life floor you and keep you out of the game! You're better than that!

Here's a poem to put things in proper perspective.

I HOPE YOU DANCE!

I hope you never lose your sense of wonder,
You get your fill to eat but always keep that hunger,
May you never take one single breath for granted,
God forbid love ever leave you empty-handed,

I hope you still feel small when you stand beside the ocean,
Whenever one door closes
I hope one more opens,
Promise me that you'll give faith a fighting chance,
And when you get the chance to sit it out or dance,
I hope you dance!
I hope you dance!

---Author, anonymous (iTunes song link)

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Jennifer's Gems is a weekly column written by award-winning poet and writer, Jennifer Brown Banks. It is published every Wednesday. Click here to read her welcome letter.