"Agnes de Mille once said, "To dance is to be out of yourself. Larger, more beautiful, more powerful. This is power, it is glory on earth and it is yours for the taking," I laughingly said to my daughter as I curled her long brown hair into perfect curls. Abby looked up at me with eyes so like my own and said, "Mom, you're ridiculous but I love you anyway." We were getting her ready for her first formal dance. I'm fortunate that my daughter is so easy going and only resisted the process for a short time. The fuss came about when I refused to let her wear her Converse with her ball gown. As we waited for Abby's escort to arrive I found myself in awe of how she has grown in the blink of an eye - without any warning at all it would seem. Simply put, the way she carries herself is a silent expression to the world that she is quite certain of who she is, what she wants and where she is going. It seems like only a short time ago she was toddling around my feet.
Abby was pacing the floor, checking her makeup and making sure her dress had the perfect amount of twirl when we heard the car pull up outside. Abby laughed with delight and sprinted to the door. From inside the house I heard her ask, "Are you ready Papa?" I looked over her shoulder to see my grandfather looking quite dapper in a suit, tie and a pink fedora that matched Abby's dress perfectly. Abby straightened up Papa's jacket and said, "You look really nice, Papa." That evening I realized that time is such a tricky thing. Just as Abby's life has sped by - the hands of time have moved in reverse for my Papa. Small things like navigating the front porch steps or simply walking a short distance are taking a toll on his once nimble body.
I drove the well dressed couple to the venue and stayed throughout the evening. My daughter beamed with pride as she was twirled through a waltz and laughed as she taught Papa how to "Whip-n-Nay nay". My papa would often sit and watch Abby and her friends laugh and dance. In one of these moments, I sat beside him and he said, "She looks so much like your grandma. I miss her." He then began telling me one of my favorite stories about taking my grandma dancing and I hung on every word. Whether I want to admit it or not, my Papa is slowing down and eventually he will be gone. In the meantime, I will seek out small moments that I can turn into precious memories.
