The Hell I Can't

When I first saw Tiffany Geigel on “So You Think You Can Dance?” I wasn’t quite sure what to think. The whole thing was so odd – at first glance. But she spoke and she danced and I found myself feeling quite emotional.

How would it be to live life in that body? She has every reason in the world to give up, not expect much for herself and to resign herself to the limitations life has handed her. Oh my God, she has THAT body and said, “I’m going to be a dancer???” I’m sure everywhere she turns she gets the message: No, You can’t, Don’t try, You shouldn’t, You could never, People would never… On and on and on. And, yet, this woman dances.

Well, shut me the hell up.

The next time any of us are told - by others or by our own inner critic: No, You can’t, Don’t try, You shouldn’t, You could never, People would never… The next time we think I can’t love, my heart has been broken; I can’t trust, I have been betrayed; I can’t believe, my faith has been lost; I can’t risk, I am too afraid; I can’t live, my spirit has been damaged; I can’t push myself, I am not strong enough; I can’t do this, I can’t do that, I can’t, I can’t, I can’t… Stop and repeat after me: THE HELL I CAN’T.

And then go dancing.