Movement is our first language; I believe we’re born to dance. I’ve always had a special liking for dance, and my job.
I got great ____1____ working in the therapeutic (治疗的) world; it felt more like a calling. I enjoyed every moment; my purpose and mission ____2____ me. My highlights are when I’ve witnessed once dull and hopeless eyes light up when the person felt seen, heard, and accepted.
Then, ill health struck. As my health declined progressively, I had to stop doing what I loved. ____3____, all I had was being able to facilitate the occasional workshop when opportunity and energy aligned (一致). Chronic fatigue syndrome (慢性疲劳综合症) is a merciless beast.
In 2020, the unimaginable happened. In addition to soul-destroying feeling of being ____4____, I began experiencing frequent vocal challenges of varying degrees. I could no longer accept facilitation invitations because my ____5____ was now unreliable. I grieved, feeling like I was being swallowed by a damp, dark fog.
After an extended period of being in self-pity, I ____6____ my thinking. I have internal value. My value or identity is not ____7____ by what I can or cannot do. Regarding my health journey, in time, I ____8____ this: it is what it is. For this season, this is my path.
So, I started dancing again. Life is full of surprises, pleasant, unpleasant, and neutral, yet what matters is how we ____9____ to those surprises. Despite ongoing voice loss and health challenges, I found new ways to make a difference.
You and I may not be able to choose the ____10____ life plays for us; however, we do get to choose how we will dance to it. May we dance with strength, courage, and grace.