Como un árbol de roble.  

Un árbol de roble puede vivir más de 200 años, pueden haber tormentas pero el árbol se mantiene, se hace aún más fuerte.   Los seres humanos tenemos una fuerza interior que puede hacer de las tormentas, recursos para que seamos capaces de vencer las batallas, cualquier que estas sean.  

Solo el tiempo, puede hacernos descubrir que aquella decepción, aquella enfermedad, aquel gran embrollo son solo situaciones que se asemejan a las tormentas que tiene que vivir el árbol de roble.   Los seres humanos tenemos una opción vivir las tormentas, evadirlas o crecer con ellas.   El árbol de roble se hace más fuerte con ellas, nosotros los seres humanos también podemos ser más fuertes con esas situaciones que produjeron lágrimas, que produjeron dolor, que produjeron ausencia.  Las adversidades son pasajeras pero están hechas para hacernos más fuertes, para enseñarnos que hay un amor grande que supera el dolor, el amor de Dios por sus hijos, el amor de un Dios que nos recordó que hay gloria después de la muerte.  

En una semana viste al médico en tres ocasiones, ninguna de gravedad, pero mi corazón impaciente, me hacía preguntar, por qué Dios?, por qué tengo que pasar por todo esto?, cuando hace dos meses empece mi lucha por recuperarme de la enfermedad de Graves y dos condiciones más afectaron mi salud en aquel entonces.    El cuerpo se cansa y reacciona nos pide un detente, nos pide un detente para tomar fuerza, para llegar a ser un roble.  Al final de la semana, cuando veía que iba mejorando,  Dios me dio entendimiento para saber que la enfermedad, la adversidad llegan para que volvamos nuestros ojos a la fuerza interior que nos mueve, para que volvamos los ojos a Nuestro Padre Celestial, que nos dice "descansa en mi".  Job 11:19 -Descansarás y nadie te atemorizará, y muchos procurarán tu favor-. Después de la tormenta, llega la calma, después de la calma, el descanso, después del descanso, la fuerza para seguir caminando en la misión de nuestras vidas.  

Gracias Padre celestial por las tormentas, que me detienen a pensar en mi misión en tí, en mi camino en tí, gracias porque cuando hay tormentas tu tiendes tu mano y me haces descansar y me animas a vivir la tormenta, pero a saber que la vivo contigo y luchamos en la tormenta juntos, la lucha no es de uno, la lucha no es mía, la lucha es nuestra, la lucha es contigo Jesús.   

When you dance……and the Leader of my life is……..

Being an amateur dancer, quasi dancer, music lover is such an incredible experience. My early years were about avoiding the dancing floor because of my lack of coordination to take the music into body movements.   I saw dancing as a sacrifice that made me feel uncomfortable. Even though dancing did not give me satisfaction, I admired the ones who were performing well in the dancing floor.

When I realized that people without the dancing genes were excellent after classes, training and practice, practice and practice, I decided that I wanted to challenge myself to this beautiful art.   I am 100% Latin and I am supposed to carry “the rhythm” on the blood but I am not sure when the dancing genes were mutated on my genome but there is an epigenetic component that might help me to overcome my dancing crisis so here I am in the learning process.
NYC gave me the opportunity to realize that everything is possible when you want to do it, as a result, I am pursuing the dream of being better in the dancing floor. I have experienced a little bit, on and off, of everything in the last year: cha cha, bachata, tango, waltz, rumba, NY, Cuban salsa, L.A. salsa.  So many for someone who has done so little of dancing in many many, many years and with an schedule that does not make easy a continuous practice.
What I have learned so far? Well, I focused more on salsa but I am still doubting in my turns and the rhythm is still limited but I have realized that there is an amazing happiness on the dancing floor, it does not matter how expert, how good you are, it is about enjoying; when you are able to manage an step, you can experience a feeling of accomplishment but it is a combination of trial and error, frustration and satisfaction what it make it such a great experience.  I am supposed to have the easiest part because I am a follower; the instructors say that I have it easy, I “just need” to follow but there is a need to have some sort of idea before following; it is not that simple; however a good leader makes a huge difference in the art of dancing. Class after class has taught me that every single individual can lead in a complete different way.  I have realized that the self-awareness, self-confidence and happiness of the partners are clue in learning any step and enjoying the dance.   I can make mistakes, laugh and my soul is just renewed. Dancing is the expression of your happiness; it tests your patience and your courage and makes your inner joyful spirit blossom like azalea flowers on the spring .   A leader and a follower with positive attitude, a great enthusiasm for learning and a great smile are the ingredients to have the best time when you dance. At least for me, it does not matter if the turn was excellent, what it matters for me is: how well and how sincerely I can smile in the dancing floor.  
Most importantly; dancing has taught me that life is a dance, oh yes, it is………..as a woman of faith, I believe that The Lord is the leader; self-confidence, self-awareness are only possible when we trust that we are made on image of our heavenly Father.  Joy comes from a trusting heart, the same, at least on salsa dancing, where the follower has to trust on the leader so he can guide the follower in the turns and harmonious movements.   Followers need to practice and know their steps to perform in the dancing floor and the Scripture is the guide that  prepare us to go into the dancing floor of life. Wisdom comes from above and God gives us His Word to know more about HIM and how to handle our journey, in this sometimes, broken world.
God has given me the opportunity to experience this beautiful dancing art and every day on my life He makes me experience the feelings and emotions of dancing in the journey of life, well, sometimes busyness of life prevent the enjoyment but it is a decision that comes from the inner being what makes possible to be joyful on life, the decision to say yes to God and then everything starts to flow.  Well, I was away from the dancing floor from years until I decided to say yes to dancing and I started taking lessons, as you see, one more time, life is a dance; the music is playing, maybe slow like waltz, maybe fast as a merengue or dramatic as a tango but there is music in our life and there is a good leader who will never fail to guide us in the dancing floor of life. God knows, how to perfectly lead us on the journey of life.  Music is playing, shall we dance!!!
P.S. “My English is not very good looking”  Celia Cruz