Monday Love to your Link in the Chain

“ Don’t go through life — grow through life.”

?~?Eric Butterworth

“Listen to your elders!” You’ve probably heard some version of this advice most of your life, right? After all, it’s timeless wisdom that we do well to heed.

But it’s funny how life works, one day we are youngsters, looking up to our elders, and before you know it we find ourselves in the older generation.

I suppose there’s a mathematical formula here somewhere. As youngsters, we are far outnumbered by older folks. As we age, the actuarial tables turn, and we find ourselves outnumbered by youth.

So the big question is: When do we swallow our pride and start listening to what the younger generation has to say?

It’s not like there’s some line in the sand or rule of thumb that triggers this shift. Everyone’s life situation is different, and we each come equipped with a different level of flexibility (or stubbornness) as the case may be.

The key to aging gracefully might be in knowing when to let go.

Growing up is a process of learning, building, and accumulating. We are often given a hand by the older folks in our life, whether it be material assistance, passing on of knowledge, or simply emulating our role models.

The arc of life has a tipping point. There comes a day when the vast accumulation of material belongings becomes a burden. The task of holding it all together becomes more than one can manage. The fact is, someday you will have to ask for help.

It can be a gradual process, or it can happen all at once. You can plan ahead for it and be proactive or you can wait until the last minute and dig in your heels.

There will come a moment where you need to take the advice of someone younger than yourself. It could be a doctor or some other sort of professional. It might be a relative.

In that moment, you will recognize your maturity. The degree to which you can be flexible and go with the flow will determine how smooth the transition ahead will be.

You may have dealt with someone who is stubborn, rigid, and inflexible when they are faced with a big change. It’s not easy being the younger person telling an elder what to do.

When it’s your turn to make a shift, let the lessons of the dance floor and your movement practice be your guide. The physical properties of sharing weight, finding balance, and exploring flexibility all map easily to the larger metaphors of life.

The fact is, we are all links in the chain of life. Knowing when to let go and trust those in charge of the future is just as important as passing your hard-won wisdom down the line.

Learn to love your place in the chain. Your level of consciousness supports what’s behind and before you.

à bient?t and much love till next week!

M+

ML?#597

Mark Metz Director of the?Dance First Association

Publisher of?Conscious Dancer Magazine

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Monday Love is the weekly inspirational newsletter written by Mark Metz, publisher of Conscious Dancer and director of the Dance First Association. Join our mailing list and learn about membership at www.consciousdancer.com