Worn

uzanneCulhane

Pat

Mrtrealcotumelooklikeitcould
tadoll,eventhoughinthertgrade
mmomtillhadtoafetpinittot
me.Itcoaregoldrionpullthe
corettogethertightl,cloingthegap
etweenthepinkandurgund
faric,jutadancehatretchedm
timethinovertheear.Miingart
irthdapart,miterimportant
aketallgame,mfavoriteand
concert,andmanmorepecial
occaiontoeatcountlepracticeandcompetition.Thetutui
wrinkledandlooethreaddangleelowitfromearhanginginthe
garage,ealedawawithalltheothercotumeIhavecollected.Attime,
dancehalemefeelingexhauted,worn,weakened.Ihavelearnedto
accepttheruie,marleurn,andoremucleitleavemewith.
Aawhole,thecotumeitilleautiful,inappearanceandinthe
memorieithold.Thoughdancehaputmethroughmanlatenight
anddicultdeciion,ithatillmademlifehaveeautandmeaning.
Ihavegrown,aallchildrendo,incewearingthitincotume,ut
dancehaallowedmetogrowinmanmorewa;Ihavelearnedhowto
handleacrice,toperevere,andtolookatthei gerpicture.
Preent

AIrunthoughthelateightcountin
mmind,mhearteatfater.I
tretchmankleonelattimeand
takeadeepreatheforethelight
wipeoutandittimetoruntocenter
tage.Theji erexcitementright
eforeItepoutontagegreatl
reecthowIfeeltowardthipointin
mlife.Imcontantltringtoprepare
melfaetaIcanforwhatnext,
whetheritemonthonmonthof
dancepracticeleadingtooneperformanceortudingforhourtomake
ureImatiedwithallofmgrade.AlthoughIamjuttringtoet
melfupfortheetoutcome,mtendencietooverpreparecome
withaoodofworr.

WhenIfeelthatanxiouneovertakethejoIgetfromdancingorlifein
general,IhavetoremindmelfthatIhaveomanpeoplerightm
ide.IknowthatIcanalwalooktomteammateacktagetomakea
jokeandcalmmnerve,jutaIcanlooktomfamilandfriendfor
comfortoutideofdance.AIlookoutfromthehadowwingontothe
tage,illuminatedwithgoldenlight,Iamremindedthatometimelife
canedrear,utthereialwaalightahead.Iamlearningtoletthe
peoplealongideme,andviionofarightfuturehapewhoIamtoda,
ratherthanandarktimeImaencounter.
Future

Ihopethatinthefuture,Icanlookack
atmpointehoe,andmanother
dancehoe,andrememerallthe
twitandturnofmlife.Theholdo
manmemorie,fromtherttimeI
toodinthem,totherttimeIwore
themontage,toallthelatthatI
knoweventuallwillcome.

TheehoerepreentomuchmorethanthememorieIhavemadein
them,though.omearepo edwithdirtandlackmark.omeare
potle,arelued.omeareig,omearemall.omenevergraced
thetage.omehaveeenworntotheirreakingpoint,therehank
oeringli leupport.omearepowderedwithroin,helpingmeta
grounded.Regardle,theewerethehoethatIlearnedin,grewin,and
expreedmelfin.

Intheamewa,IknowthemanexperienceIwillhaveinlifewillcarr
dierentemotionandmemorie.omewillmakemead,omewill
makemehapp,omeIwillregretandomeIwilleimmenelproud
of.Theeemotionareimpoiletoavoid;theeexperienceare
inevitale.Icanonlwihformfutureelftoealetolookackon
theeexperience,jutaIwillonmpointehoe,andealetoee
growthineachoneofthem.