Free to Dance

Posted on by Tara Lantieri

I gave birth to my sweet girl when I was the tender age of 17; becoming a Mom didn’t happen the way I had anticipated it would, but there I was. As my girlfriends prepared for SAT’s and decorating dorm rooms I found myself changing dirty diapers, fixing formula and bouncing a baby on my hip.

I didn’t realize it then but as my new reality settled in I ceased dreaming; not the kind of dreams you have at night while snuggled cozy in bed. The type of dreams that make you lose track of time, gazing at the clouds wondering what it would be like to be your own boss, take a French cooking class or be swept off to Hawaii by prince charming. Dreams were replaced with rationale, desires with logic and without a second thought my ability to envision life as anything more than it was at that moment, waltzed away.

Days turned into months, slid into years and toppled into decades with sparse time for reverie; but in the last 2 years I’ve had a stirring in my heart. A desire for something more; deeper meaning, stronger impact, exciting adventure and thrilling experiences. I think it might actually be called living and it just may require dreaming.

I will need to whirl through unchartered territory and skip along paths with hidden twists and turns but I will embrace life and we will tango! Fear will no longer keep me two-stepping with my companions, predictable and logical. Um, ok, I mean with-in reason on that otherwise my hubby may be asking me to do some pretty wild stuff. 🙂

God is holding my dance card, He knows who I’ve chosen to dance with in the past but today I choose Him and we will dance with JOY into the unexpected. It is Independence Day and I am free.

14 thoughts on “Free to Dance”

  2. I love the image of God having your dance card – beautiful. And I am so happy that you are dreaming again. 🙂

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  3. Don’t knock the two-step…that’s what led me to my husband. LOL! Seriously though, beautiful post. Keep on my dear 🙂

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  4. Just got caught up on all your posts .. Great stuff !! Thanks for the inspiration and for opening up .. It helps all of us who read to stay encouraged .. Life is so very short and we need to encourage each other! Blessings my friend! Keep up the good work!

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  5. Tara as I read your blog It was as if I was reading my own life story. For a long time I had dreams of the day I would be able to do the things that I once dreamed about as a young girl. Now after raising my family I too feel as if I am free to dance. Thanks for sharing your story. Keep dreaming and don’t ever stop dancing! 🙂

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  7. Tara, I just found out how to read your posts! (Technology still confounds me at times!) This one in particular spoke to me so much. I always say that I envied David and his desire to dance before the Lord in a free and joyful way. I feel that my love for Him causes me to want to do this, but my perspective on not embarrassing myself or family stops me. The freedom to share passion and joy with the Lord and to be in union with Him over His promises and plans is something that I have deep in my heart though. I love the idea of God having my dance card. HE knows my heart, my passion, my desires, my fears, my thoughts, my schemes, my idiosyncrasies, my oddness, my doubts and my sadness. These are all on MY dance card and He holds it. Thank you for allowing my to reconnect with my God’s love for me today.

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