No 44 Changing Lives through Dancing
By David Earl Woodbury
Friday, November 7, 2014
Our One Year Anniversary
Destiny, I feel, is also a relationship – a play between divine grace
and willful self-effort. Half of it you have no control over; half of
it is absolutely in your hands, and your actions will show
measurable consequence. Man is neither entirely a puppet of the Gods,
nor is he entirely the captain of his own destiny; he’s a little of
both. We gallop through life like circus performers balancing on two
speeding side by side horses – one foot is on the horse called fate,
the other on the horse called free will. And the question you have to
ask every day is – which horse is which? Which horse do I need to
stop worrying about because it’s not under my control, and which do I
need to steer with concentrated effort?– Elizabeth Gilbert, from Eat, Pray, Love
We’re open one year today!!!!!! Last year we taught our first lesson on November 7, 2013. Wow, it’s been an exciting year!
So let’s see. We started with just 3 keys, and that was it. No students, staff, furniture, floor, computers, music, phones, sign, etc. Now, we have an exciting school full of students and fabulous teachers.
We have made it though floods, more floods, and did I forget to say, more flooding on our new floor. We went through the hoops with Santa Monica and at last receiving our Franchisee from Arthur Murray International.
We have been here with no lady instructors and sometimes no ladies at all. We’ve had just ladies and no men. We have danced at parties with just us, or 2 students. What a ride. Now, when I go to a party full of laughing, happy students and our wonderful staff, I get tears in my eyes. I am so thankful for where we are today.
We have gone through the fire and have arrived purified with the waters of purification and trials. We have been here with our partners and without our partners. Ups and downs. And now, our school has the “hum” that makes it magical for us all.
I love coming to the studio. Every day I am at my best. Every day I think of how to become a better person, owner, manager, and man. Every day our studio pulls the best out of us and we grow stronger week by week. Would I trade any of this work….no, never. It has made me grow and has made me a grateful person.
Thanks to all who helped get us here. Thanks Robert and Christy Melgoza for enabling the smooth transition to our school. Thanks to Gabriela Young and Joel Rieck for holding it together this past year. Thanks St. Monica Parish, to Arthur Murray International, Inc. for all your help, guidance and support. Thanks to the DeBeve’s for your love. And to all our many mentors around the country, the world, our own City of Santa Monica, The Chamber of Santa Monica, Thank You!
I would not be here today without the charismatic parents who raised me. My mom’s creative Southern ways, and my dad, who was my life’s hero, who was a born leader and friend to all. Dad was my number one guide in life.
This Friday, we celebrate life, accomplishment, love, life, laughter, freedom, success and to a great present and a bright future!
Love you all,
David Woodbury