The Last Dance

Samantha made the Junior High Dance team the first time she tried out and she has made every team since then.  It's been a big part of her life - lots of dances, lots of traveling, lots of lipstick.  In the picture above, she is just right of center, with two hands on the middle trophy, with a big white bow in her hair.  The girls in the middle made the elite team and a spot on the crew for the halftime show at the Liberty Bowl in Tennessee. 

In this team picture, Samantha is on the bottom right, leaning in, the first one in the middle row.  She enjoyed the games, the dancing, the exercise.  What she did not enjoy was the drama.  She said you can't just get together and learn dances.  Why do they have to be mean, and petty and rude?  So, after six years, she just told her coach she was finished and she walked out.

All she really missed was the end of basketball season her senior year.  She already competed with the team at States, and she was in the front of all three dances.  She really can dance.  What she really can't do, is tolerate drama.

Part of me is sad.  I enjoyed watching her out there.  I know she's pretty, and I know the camera loves her, but, she really, really was smiling and enjoying herself.  That was all genuine and I loved watching her shine.  Part of me was very selfish about her whole departure, because while she warned me that she was fed up and she would walk out, I didn't know I was missing her last performance.  I didn't go to a game, and I don't remember why I stayed home that Friday night, but, I did.  And when she got home after that game she said, well, my dance career is over.  I had a good run.  She's right.  She sure did.

She never wanted to be a professional dancer or cheerleader.  She just enjoyed it and when she didn't enjoy it anymore, she stopped.  That's the lesson, I suppose.  Enjoy it while it lasts and know when to fold.  She will find something else, most likely something very different, to occupy her attention.  Right now it's Tasty Freeze and making money, and getting into college and deciding what to do with her life.  Yeah, she's right.  No time for drama - there are more important things to worry over.

Go Panthers!