She Went All Out! (Or: I wish I could be that brave)

So I'm sure that all my adoring readers will recall my last post on wanting to be the kind of girl who gives 110% regardless of how 'foolish' I think I'll look. Now I have an example to point to as an object lesson. (however, in revealing this example I'm going to also reveal that I am entirely shallow and wasted an hour of my time last night)





Who will admit that they watched "So You Think You Can Dance?" last night...... show of hands? ..... anyone?.....





Okay, so maybe I'm alone in this. We do not have cable but our antenna picks up enough US stations that I caught this talent competition last night. It was the last couple of the evening that showed me exactly the kind of moxy I want to display in my areas of skill.





As it goes, the last couple to dance went to rehearsal yesterday morning and the girl partner passed out or something and the doctors wouldn't let her dance last night. However, the male partner had clearly practiced all week too and deserved the opportunity to dance for his votes to stay in the competition. The producers of the show said that he could perform with the choreographers assistant who had helped coach these two contestants all week.





Oh sure, I thought. He gets the thrill of dancing with a professional, fabulous, dancer. I'm imagining a long legged, drop dead gorgeous, pro to come out and make him look good no matter how practiced he was or wasn't...... I couldn't have been more wrong.





I wish I had have paid closer attention to what her name was because I would love to give her credit here for being my new short term role model. This choreographers assistant was shortish, pudgy-ish, and just kind of plain. Instead of wearing some brilliant, revealing costume, she wore a simple swingy skirt with what looked like a nice t-shirt kind of thing....and of course a great pair of heels.





I catch my breath and think, "oh you poor thing. You are going to look ridiculous. No one will take you seriously....I hope you don't make a fool of yourself". But then the music started! And she DANCED!!!





Now, she is clearly not going to win the next international ball room dance competition. She definitely falls more in to the "those who can't, teach" realm of excellence. But did she ever kick some serious butt! She had all the steps, she had all attitude, she had all the moxy, all the sex appeal, all the everything she needed to really go for it. She even let the guy pick her up and flip her over his back somehow.





I had judged her in the way I judge myself and expect others to judge me, and boy was I wrong. I very much underestimated her skill and her committment to the task. I was humbled and encouraged, and challenged. With only a few hours of notice she came out and gave it her all, and no one looked at her like she was a fool, and if they did, shame on them because she was amazing.





So here I am still wanting that kind of drive to really really do the things I know I can do. And wanting my kids to get there too. Years ago my husband and I were taking some of our youth group out to play pool for a couple of hours and before we picked up one girl her father, our pastor, said to her "Remember, boys don't like girls who don't try." She was convinced that she wasn't athletic and that she was going to stink at pool. Her dad wisely reminded her it was better to try and goof up slightly than to stand in the corner saying "I don't know how."





Any day now, I expect that will sink in to my brain. I've only being mulling it over for 9 years now....