While We Danced

Last night, under a starlit sky and the soft embrace of a cool June evening, our little town sang with joy. The fête de la musique—music drifting from every corner, laughter in the air-

Claire Sparkle, my three-year-old granddaughter, wore her favorite twirling dress. She danced like the world was made of light—barefoot by the end, a tiny blister couldn’t slow her down.
Nothing stops a dancer when the music lives inside them.

And in that moment, with her joy spilling out into the night, it felt like the darkness of the world stood behind me. Held at bay, if only for an evening.

But when the music ended and I walked home through quiet streets, I stepped back into the shadow.

The USA bombed Iranian uranium sites.

While children dance in the glow of hope, barefoot and fearless, somewhere else, the drums beat a different rhythm—a rhythm of fear, of power, of a cold calculation. The kind of dance that chooses destruction over dialogue.

There is always a partner in every dance. Tonight, America chose the shadow.

And yet, Claire Sparkle twirled. She reminded me: that children still dance, still sing, in the moment-

Even as the darkness leans in.



Comments

7 responses to “While We Danced”

  1. Dear Corey, Your post this morning is exactly how I feel. Deep concern and sorrow at the choice made. This quote was pinned up on the wall in a B & B we stayed at: Civilization is a stream with banks. The stream is sometimes filled with blood from people killing, stealing, shouting and doing the things historians usually record. While on the banks, unnoticed people build homes, make love, raise children, sing songs (and also dance*), write poetry and even whittle statues. The story of civilization is the story of what happened on the banks. Historians are pessimists because they ignore the banks for the river. Will Durant *not from the quote but pertinent

  2. Oh Corey, the beauty and innocence of the young, unaware of the carnage that is happening. The deaths of innocents whilst the powers that be on both sides ……..I don’t know how to describe them! Please God in your mercy, be with the people on the ‘banks’ and stop the river of ‘blood’

  3. Ellen Bradley Mills

    I absolutely cherish your words, thank you for the honesty of a broken heart, there are more over here, I’m in Montana, who are just beyond outraged, enduring the deepest sadness in my/our hearts, we’ve ever felt for what this obscene administration is about, is unleashing on the entire planet, while the political party that supports him is absolutely as guilty and spineless as anything ever witnessed in my lifetime anyway, and I just entered my 8th decade. Our protests will get louder, stronger, and truth and right will end up prevailing, once again, as we pick ourselves up and try and bring PEACE to our only beautiful home , Mother Earth. Please don’t stop sharing with us your heartfelt words, they keep me going.

  4. Cheryl Olson

    What a shocking post, you did it so well, capturing the absolute despair we can feel, but still we go on, maybe in time we will be able to heal what this administration has inflicted upon us and the world.
    Thank you

  5. Jennifer Phillipps

    We all need a bit of Miss Sparkle in our lives…she looks lovely! I think if we hold on to the sparkles the world will again come right before long….I am banking on it…sparkle on and believe! Jennie, NZ

  6. Thank you so much Corey!
    My dad sent me your website and I found an old blog on my parents mariage in Marseille. I recognised so many young faces of my family. I am so happy to have found your blog. Thank you so much for that because i have barely seen photos of their wedding. Ça m’a fait chaud au cœur de voir mes parents heureux (et jeunes…) entouré de leurs amis et de ma famille. J’ai retrouvé dans ces photos la maison de Ama et Opa et les feuilles de vignes qui sont toujours là sur le mur. (I’m sorry it’s out of context but i didn’t know where to leave you a message…). Your little sparkle seems to float in her element like a little fish in the ocean. We could almost see her flying away in these waves of music. On the evening of the Fête de la Musique, every time, a part of us takes flight and is carried away by the summer heat, the joy and the music. The burdens are lightened because a little sparkle like yours makes it disappear in a beautiful pirouette… Enjoy these moments with the people you cherish.
    Beijinhos

    1. Hi Sophie! What a lovely, you’ve left. Thank you for your words and thank you for coming to my blog and seeing the wedding photos. I made a book for Benoit. I don’t know if he still has it to photos. I tried to find the link so that I could post it here but it won’t come up for some reason. If you still have it, can you share it with me.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *