Dear Readers,
I don't see movies in theaters very often but over winter break I watched We Bought a Zoo and there was a line that stuck with me and seems to be guiding me lately. The dad tells his son, in reference to talking to a girl, that you only need 20 seconds of insane courage. This of course applies to SO much more than male/female communications. I've already confessed to you all that I am not a particularly brave person. Actually... I'm a chicken but even I can do 20 seconds of courage.
It turns out 20 seconds really is all it takes to change your life. It is about the space of time it took me to meet a wonderful new friend. It was a rather amazing experience. Feeling dorky and awkward I invited her to join myself and a friend for dinner. Somewhere during that time she earned my respect with her authenticity. Over the following weeks, our friendship grew. I was amazed by how comfortable and trusting I was with her. More importantly, I was amazed by the tenderness with which she loved me. Especially when I felt unloveable. I respected her for her spontaneity and willingness to be bold. And then she did something truly amazing: she signed me up for Ballet.
I've been wanting to take ballet since I was a little girl. After being denied by my father and made to feel that dance was inappropriate and shameful by the abuse I endured, I stopped trying. When I confessed to my wonderful new friend my secret wish, she told me of how much she loved dance. I told her about a dance studio near by and she did what any bold friend would do: she signed us up.
I wouldn't advise this as a sure-fire way of making friends because, as it turns out, ballet is torture on your body. I do, however, thank my friend. Her boldness threw me a curve ball that left me with two options: the first was to attend one lesson and give up when it became too hard or too painful, the second option was to have 20 seconds of courage... to fully invest myself and my heart in something which I had never known before.
I chose the second option. Through dancing I have claimed back my body. In some odd way, forcing it into some painfully beautiful pose has brought redemption to it.
So my challenge to you for living bold is this: how can 20 seconds of insane courage change your day?
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