No 40 Changing Lives through Dancing
By David Earl Woodbury
Friday, September 30, 2016
“What a man can be, he must be.” – Abraham Maslow
“A musician must make music, an artist must paint, a poet must write, if he is to be ultimately at peace with himself. What a man can be, he must be.”
– Abraham Maslow (1908-1970) American Psychologist
As a ballroom dancer for 41 years and with Arthur Murray for 41 years, I have loved being the best I can be every day. Arthur Murray has given me to opportunity in every area to excel, grow, and achieve great things in my life. What I can be I have and continue to achieve with Arthur Murray.
“True happiness is not attained through self-gratification, but through fidelity to a worthy purpose.” – Helen Keller (1880 – 1968) American Writer
When I first started with Arthur Murray I was a student enrolled on my Bronze Program. Then, I my love of dancing overtook me and I went on to teach full time. In the beginning I thought I would stay a year or so. After that first year, I then said, OK, 5 years max. Well, at the end of the 5 years I took my judges exam and began traveling as a dance judge and I was competing as a professional dancer.
Now after so many years, I realize that my love of dancing, my love of meeting people, and my love of giving service to others kept me dancing. Arthur Murray has a training program called All Stars. It is the most amazing training program in the world and its focus in giving excellent service. Every day I feel that I learn something new when I step into the school. Thank you All Stars!
“If we had no winter, the spring would not be so pleasant: if we did not sometimes taste of adversity, prosperity would not be so welcome.”- Charlotte Bronte
Have the years all been easy? We all know that life has challenges, and that we will always have adversities. Yet, the sweet victory of overcoming hard times makes the springtime of our lives so much more exciting!
“Originality and the feeling of one’s own dignity are achieved only through work and struggle.” – Fyodor Dostoyevsky (1821 – 1881) Russian Novelist
“One resolution I have made, and try always to keep, is this: ‘To rise above the little things.’” – John Burroughs (1837 – 1921) American Naturalist and Writer
Every time I seem to approach a difficult time in my life, I now think, “Time will pass and as the sun rises, there will be a new day dawning”. The dread of having a rough patch ahead of me is not so powerful as I know that I will make it to see another day and that “it will get better.” It’s funny, the day after what seemed to be a terrible struggle, I realized that it was not as bad as I feared, and that I was stronger and wiser.
“There is great power in a resolution that has no reservations in it — a strong, persistent, tenacious purpose — which burns all bridges behind it and which clears all obstacles from its path and arrives at its goal, no matter how long it may take, no matter what the sacrifice or the cost.” – Orison Sweet Marden (1850 – 1924) American Editor and Speaker
This is an amazing quote. “No reservations” “A strong, persistent, tenacious purpose” “No matter what the sacrifice or cost”. I’m there. I’m going all the way. I’ve decided to move forward and make my dreams come true.
“The hero is the one who kindles a great light in the world, who sets up blazing torches in the dark streets of life for men to see by. The saint is the man who walks through the dark paths of the world, himself a light.” – Felix Adler
I wanted to be that hero, setting up the light for others. Now, I want to be the light that takes other through the dark night of the soul. Someday you my friend will find yourself in the dark night, or you have gone through it, or you are there now with no end in sight. There will be a light soon for you and that will be delivered by a messenger of light who will see you to the end and see you though.
I love the above quote from Helen Keller. What I love most about Helen Keller, is that she is remembered as an American Writer. I am always humbled, always humbled by who she was and what she accomplished with her life. “Lord, help me to become all that I can become and use all my gifts to lead others to light”.
Thank you for reading!
Keep on Dancing!