No 46 Changing Lives through Dancing
By David Earl Woodbury
Friday, November 11, 2016
The Sun Rises Again!
“There was never a night or a problem that could defeat sunrise or hope.” – Bernard Williams (1929 – 2003) English moral philosopher
In dancing, we sometimes win and sometimes we lose, but always we gain from the dancing itself and the effort to become better. To be a Quarter Finalist, Semi Finalist, or Finalist all indicate hard work and great effort. To be in the top three is an honor and is a combination of many skills and many hours of effort and training.
“There are no secrets to success. It is the result of preparation, hard work, learning from failure.” – Colin Powell (1937) American Military Leader and Diplomat
After a major dance competition, all the dancers are treated with such honor and dignity. They are all praised, not just for their placement, but for the dancing itself. The top dancers always honor and respect the new couples who compete, for they remember that not too long ago, they were in the same shoes and trying to become champions in their own right. There is not always a first place, but there is always learning to get to the top.
“Perseverance is failing 19 times and succeeding the 20th.”– Julie Andrews (1935) English film and stage actress
What an honor to meet a champion. To chat with them. To see a star at the top of their game, or a star from many years in the past. They all have magic. They all have a story, they all had vision and determination.
The following is one of my favorite quotes:
Persistence, by Calvin Coolidge
“Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence.
Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent.
Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb.
Education will not; the world is filled with educated derelicts.
Persistence and determination are alone omnipotent.
“Press On!” has been and always will be the answer to every human problem.
Pressing on is always the answer. Yes, the sun will rise tomorrow no matter what happened today. But to make a difference, we must not rely on our talent, genius, and education. We must rely on the stick to it attitude that makes us try, and try and try again to become the champions we know we can be.
Let the sun rise again on your life and let determination lead you to your goals.
Thanks for reading!
David Earl Woodbury
Keep on Dancing!