***A Golden Anniversary With A Dancing Twist

A Golden Anniversary With A Dancing Twist By Dr. Charles D. Schmitz and Dr. Elizabeth A. Schmitz America’s #1 Love and Marriage Experts Authors of the Best Relationship Book of 2008 INDIE Book Awards Gold Medal Winnerr Available at Golde Anniversaries.com, BarnesandNoble.com, and at Bookstores Today, we were told a delightful story about life and love, and dancing. The story was apparently reported on the CBS Evening News and shared with us by a colleague. We heard a similar story a few months ago during a conversation with a couple we were interviewing. We will change the names in our story to protect the innocent. And you’ll see why. It seems that Mary was married to Ned for 50 years. They celebrated their Golden Anniversary together. Mary loved Ned and Ned loved Mary. It was a marriage success story. And while their marriage was a happy one, it had a tragic ending – Ned died. Ned’s death for a couple married for 50 years is probably not all that unusual or unexpected. At his death, Ned was 88 and Mary was 85. The sad truth is, people die. And often times the one you love deeply, dies. It is part of the cycle of life. Sad, but true. But this story has a twist to it. You see, as committed as Mary was to Ned and as much as she loved him, her life with Ned for all those many years left her with an unaddressed beef about him. He didn’t fulfill all her needs. You see, Mary loves to dance. It was and has been her passion for most of her life. She reports that she dreamed about her “Knight in dancing armor” for most of her life. She would find her dancing man and they would dance the night away. You have heard about the “golden slipper” at the ball (a dance), well, this was a story about the dancing shoes. When she married Ned, she soon discovered that he was not a dancer at all. In fact, he didn’t dance with her during their 50 years of marriage! Not once. She never went dancing. Again, a sad story, but true. But this story has a dancing twist. When Ned died, Mary met a new man. We shall call him George. George had a passion for dancing. And when they met at a dance hall in Oklahoma, it was love at first dance. Mary had found her dancing man after all these years. And dance they did. They danced and danced and danced and danced! One of our Texas friends goes dancing three nights a week and he had it right when he gave us the inspiration for a chapter in our book, Golden Anniversaries: The Seven Secrets of Successful Marriage that we entitled “It Takes Two To Tango” and in our subsequent articles entitled “Love By Dancing” and “The Look of Love in Brazil.” There is something magical about dancing. As our Texas friend says, “You can learn a lot about love by dancing.” The case of Mary and Ned, and now the dancing man, George, illustrates his point very well we think. Now the story gets really interesting. According to Mary, her new man is a dancing king. George loves Mary and Mary loves George. Through their dancing, Mary at 88 and George at 83, are considering getting married. Dancing has done it again! George and Mary are getting ready to Tango again! Here’s the “dancing” twist to this story – Mary and George have been living together for nearly a year now – and they are not married. George says they were taught better, but at their age, “What’s the rush? We will get married soon enough!” When you are in your late 80’s, we call that great optimism! Life and love – saved by dancing! The next time you are feeling down and blue, and out of love, just remember the story of Mary and George. Life and love can begin again when you are in your 80’s. Love can begin again after you have enjoyed your Golden Anniversary with someone you loved who for so many years who leaves you through death. Sometimes those we love die. Sometimes a marriage ends for no reason other than death. But always remember this – true love can be found again. Your new dancing partner can be just around the next twirl at the local dance club! Go dancing tonight. You never know. Love well!