The Marriage Dance

My parents have discovered how to do what I call the Marriage Dance, and they do it well.

They've been married 60 years!  Six decades of sharing life and all its joys and sorrows, ups and downs, triumphs and struggles.  That's a reason to celebrate for sure.  But my parents aren't just married; my parents are happily married!  

You may be asking, "What's a Marriage Dance?"  I picture marriage as a dance.  It's two people committed to dancing through life together instead of alone.  They persevere in learning their part of the dance; they don't try to do the other's part.  They don't give up when they step on each other's toes, stumble, or get hurt.  It's two people choosing to remain with their partner when the music changes, when they don't know the new rhythm, or which step to take.  It's never walking away until the music of life stops for one or the other.

This picture began forming when I was a very young girl.  My parents would put a stack of 45's on their record player and dance their hearts out.  They danced to all sorts of music, but they never stopped dancing when the music changed.  They would just change their dance.  Their expressions were a joy to see.  Even in my youngest years, I recognized the looks of love they shared while they danced.  I delighted in their energy and laughter while they "cut a rug".  They could dance to everything that played, and my Momma had a lot of 45's.

My parents are still dancing.  No, not to the 45's so much anymore, but always to the music of life.  I've watched them change their dance with every life change that has come.  I've seen their struggle to not let go of one another.  I've seen their sacrifice when one was in need.  I've seen them take one another's hand and walk across the "dance floor" to begin their next dance into the unknown.  But I've also seen the energy and swing and twinkling eyes.  No!  Don't be fooled.  It's not just in their younger years that they've faced the music with joy.  My parents have embraced one another through every life change and every hardship.

How have they done that?  They have a dance instructor.  His name is Jesus Christ, God in the flesh!  Why have they chosen Him?  He is the creator of marriage.  He knows all the music of this life and how to dance to it with beauty and grace and joy.  After 60 years, they're experienced but humble dancers; they still trust their instructor.  They're determined and eager to learn from Him when the music of life changes.  And...

They practice those new dance steps.  They don't just get their instructions and then dance the old steps to the new music.  That's a big deal.  This is a three-way relationship and that's why it works.  My parents are both listening to and learning from their dance instructor.  They do not question how the dance is to be danced; they learn the new dance.  There's unity as they dance because they both trust the One who is choreographing the dance.

I know there is a lot of symbolism here, but I hope you have been able to visualize the marriage dance.  That you will understand that every marriage has its own music and therefore its own dance.  We can successfully dance through life with our marriage partner when we choose to learn from the Creator of the Marriage Dance.

Ecclesiastes 4:12 says, "A cord of three strands is not easily broken."  That's us and our Instructor doing life's dance together.

Many thanks to Momma and Daddy for being happy dancers, introducing me to Jesus, and continuing to be examples of the Marriage Dance.

Momma and Daddy, I'm still clapping and skipping and laughing as I watch you dance.  You're amazing together, and your dance is still beautiful, fun, and inspiring to watch.  Happy Anniversary!  I LOVE YOU!!!