Barbara and Anthony
Not long ago, a high school friend, Barbara Ocon Hulziger, posted about her start in ballroom dancing, over twenty years earlier. I asked her if I could share this, she agreed and sent a picture of her and Anthony. Here’s Barbara’s story!
“In August 2002 my friend literally dragged me to a ballroom studio for ‘just one visit.’ Totally competent and confident in my professional life, I was mortified by my clumsiness in that group class. So, I made an exit plan. I would go get a drink of water and then quietly slink out the door. The instructor, Armando, saw me and knew exactly what was about to happen. Mando crossed the room, took my hand and quietly said, ‘Tonight you will dance only with me.’ Fast forward 21 years and many instructors and studios later, I’m still dancing. I’m still learning and I am still loving ballroom. I am so glad that one kind man took me by the hand and guided me back. I would have missed out on 21 plus years of glorious memories.
I love this (picture) from a theater show in October. This one was another moment, 20 years after the one I talked about above. I was rather nervous when we were waiting backstage. Anthony, 30 years my junior, patted my hand and said, ‘Do not worry, I’ll take care of you.’ And off we went. It turned out to be my favorite routine ever. Obviously, I still struggle sometimes to surrender to a proffered hand. I would never have come to this moment without surrendering to that offered hand 20 plus years ago.”
We all face fears and unease about issues in life, either new opportunities or current situations. Barbara’s story provides a host of application for us all in these times, maybe her example can challenge us to move on, to move ahead. The first step, choose a strategy to deal with it: she first chose to flee with the excuse of water. But Armando offered a hand, and changed the calculus, adding comfort and presence. That led to the next critical step: she surrendered. Why did she surrender, when she felt overcome by fear of clumsiness? A professional dance instructor offered comfort and presence. She trusted him…a critical step in surrender.
Yes, we need to judge proffered hands, does the person have the ability to help, coupled with a good heart? Even so, we find it hard to accept help, even help we need, so we must evaluate those two traits in the offeror. Not all match Armando. But when we find it, we reach for the hand, “Two are better than one…if one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no-one to help him up!” (Ecclesiastes 4:9-10).
Kick Starting the Application
How well do you surrender to proffered hands? Do you now need to surrender to a proffered hand? How well do you offer a hand? How might Barbara’s story impact how you act? Have you surrendered to God’s proffered hand?