It's NOT (too) girly!

Why should men be interested in dancing? Isn't that a girl thing?

Contra dance gives men a chance to practice leadership skills, which is hard, and it gives girls a chance to practice following, which is possibly even harder. It may not be obvious to a beginning dancer what the differences in the men and woman's parts are and what their effect may be, but have seen a big change in both my ability to take charge and my ability to listen to other people since I started teaching dance. Some of this may be attributed to growing older and maturing, but something has to make us mature and I'll say that dancing has helped me.

I also advocate everyone try dancing both parts, although I guess that'd be awkward for guys.

When you say you love me, do you mean it?

Having been deeply caught up in the work of trying to practice what I preach and put my principles in action, I have been away some time from my accustomed thinking ground: this here blog.

I have been thinking some about love. "Love your neighbor as yourself" and all that. I've come to the same conclusion as I have countless times before, that love isn't a feeling; it's something you do. If you love someone, you take care of them and serve them. Or, rather, not "if;" that can be misconstrued. Instead, when you take care of them and serve them, then you are loving them. This eventually brings up the warm feeling that you expect. When I help my mother with the housework that's when that "warm feeling" towards her is strongest. This is not, I think, merely because I have placed myself in her shoes and understand, but because I have loved her so I feel towards her those feelings which suit love the best.