Do You Wanna Dance?

Have you ever heard the sound of a broken heart? Have you had the misfortune to have your heart broken? Live long enough and you can answer "yes" to both. I was listening to a song today that reminded me of a heartbreak many, many years ago. I was on my way to work in the early dawn of this morning when the chords began. Instantly, I was transported back to the time when I thought I would never survive the pain.

Isn't it funny how music does that? How it can take us back, bring us up, make us fall and have us closing our eyes to ride the melody. It's one of the reasons I have had a love affair with music all my life. It has been my drinking buddy, my shoulder to lean on, my courage, my lover, my salve. I can remember during one of the darkest times of my life, seeking out the solace of a well-tuned piano in a Fine Arts building and playing until the burden was not so heavy.

When the first hauntingly beautiful notes began to play from the song that soothed my broken heart so many years ago, I smiled. Not from the memory of that time. At that time in my life, my heart was shattered and it took a long time to heal. No, it was from the memory of how I completely believed at that time that I would never get over the hurt. I would never be able to stand all the way up ever again. Yet, here I am.

The song played on and I thought with sadness of what was lost. However, I also realized that I would never have chosen certain paths if not forced to do so with that one event. By passing through the fire of that pain, I shook off the ashes, spread my wings and flew. I did get over the pain and my heart healed over time.

I'll have to keep that in mind in the fire-laden paths stretched before me now. Will I have to pass through the flames? Yes. Will it be painful? Most definitely. Will I survive the journey? You betcha! I'll do it with a musical score in my head. Because if all the world is a stage, then we are the players. And when life gives you music, you pick up the singed hem of your dress and you dance.