February Woman – Full of Grace

Posted on by
February – #ShePersisted 2021 Calendar https://etsy.com/ca/dareboldlyart

There is a video circulating on social media of Marta C Gonzalez, who in her prime during the 1960s, was a prima ballerina with the New York Ballet Company. She passed away in 2019 after many years of living with Alzheimer’s Disease. Just before her death, she was given headphones to hear Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake, which she had performed in 1967.

The body remembers what the heart knows.

In the video, as Ms Gonzalez listens deeply to the music, her hands begin to flutter in her lap and then rise, higher and higher. Gracefully, seemingly effortlessly, she stretches out her arms and they float like angel’s wings through the air around her.

And with each note, she moves through the dance of her younger years from where she sits in the wheelchair that moved her through the world in her final days.

The body remembers. The heart knows.

Alexis’ social media post.

Yesterday, my daughter Alexis posted a beautiful passage on her social media about this time of waiting. Waiting for Covid to pass. Waiting to see our loved ones again. Waiting to be free to move out into the world without fearing this dreaded virus.

We are all waiting.

How we wait. How we move through these days of rising caseloads and deaths matters. A lot.

It matters because every life on earth matters. A lot.

It matters because we are all connected. And in that connection our survival matters.

It matters that as of this moment when I write this post, 55,514,668 human beings have been taken ill by this virus. 1,335,279 have not survived. I wrote those number 45 minutes ago when I began this post. Those numbers are now – 55,531,335 cases 1,335,467 deaths)

It matters because when we move beyond the confines of our homes, step out of our safe little bubbles into our communities, we are affecting the life of every single person we come in contact with.

We can be carriers of hope or carriers of unwitting illness.

It is our decision.

Yes, we will get through this. And, though there are days when I rail against the limitations, when all I want to do is visit a friend, or have dinner in a restaurant with my beloved or travel west to see my daughter and her family, I know that what I do right now matters.

And how I go through it matters. A lot.

I can rail against the confines of these times, this virus, this life of narrowing options. Or, like Marta Gonzalez, I can allow the music of my heart to be heard and felt and known. I can act with grace. Because, even though my beloved and I have made the decision to once again sequester in solitude at home, grace has not left the house.

And so, just as my daughter teaches in the words she wrote, I call upon patience, kindness, consideration and above all, grace, to move us through these difficult days so that one day, soon I hope, we can all breathe easily again.

And when we do, may our bodies remember what our hearts know. We loved one another and took care of each other in the darkness and the light.

And when these times have passed, as they surely will, may the stories we tell remind us of how, even when grief and fear and sadness and loneliness and uncertainty filled our world, we danced with grace through it all.

Namaste

And, just in case you haven’t seen it, here is the video of Marta C. Gonzalez dancing Swan Lake. There is a moment at the beginning where her hands begin to move and then collapse onto her lap. When the gentleman kisses her hand with such loving grace, she begins again to dance. So beautiful.

16 thoughts on “February Woman – Full of Grace”

  1. Music is so powerful & healing. I witnessed it in nursing homes when nothing else moved the patients, music made them come alive. The video was a testament to “the body remembers what the heart feels.” I really enjoyed your inspirational thoughts today as well as your daughter’s heartfelt words.
    We will get through these times of uncertainty eventually. Lots of food for thought today. Many thanks!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply ↓

  3. Thank you. Using the video and story of Marta Gonzalez brought today into perspective. There is hope in waiting. I just hope that the naysayers, such as what Steinbach, Manitoba or Alymer, Ontario are promoting can be shut down sooner than later. Note I have not touched upon our southern neighbours. It is happening in our own backyard.
    Mart’s response to music she so dearly loved provided a ray of sunshine and hope that we too shall not forget better days.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply ↓

    • Thank you Iwona for sending me the link to that video — I shared it with my sisters and Charles — and they’d already seen it! LOL — where have I been? 🙂
      There is so much anxiety and angst all around. I pray we find our way together through this darkness and find a way to embrace those whose fears are leading them to deny reality so that this virus does not claim more lives.
      Hugs my friend.

      Like

      Reply ↓

  5. Your daughter’s words are as poignant as yours. It helped me today when I feel like too few here in Saskatchewan are abiding by the guidelines put out for us. We are going above an beyond but it feels like there is so little hope. The joy in the dance and your post helped provide a tiny spark of light and hope through. Stay safe.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply ↓

    • I am grateful you felt joy and saw a spark of light and hope Bernie. It can be so easy to miss it when times are dark and the world around us seems oblivious to what is necessary to create safety and well-being for all.

      I too have my moments… and thus… I write and read and paint and create and share and dance.

      Sending hugs.

      Like

      Reply ↓

Real conversations begin with your comments. Please share your thoughts.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.