Do you ever look for the silver lining? Have you ever found a blessing hidden inside of adversity? Why is it that limits sometimes point the way to freedom?

Seems like the sage was on to something when they said the universe behaves like one of those big yin-yang symbols. The deluge of darkness generally hides a sliver of light. The question is, how much time and distance has to pass before one can see the big picture in context?

Obviously, if you haven’t been living under a rock, you are well aware of the travails of our times, not the least of which is the unjust war going on in Europe or the news that women’s rights are going on the chopping block here in the US.

But bear with me while I put on my Pollyanna hat and dream big for a moment. What if the war in Ukraine winds up turning the tide on authoritarianism worldwide? What if this Roe debacle spurs even half of the 101 million ‘eligible-but-couldn’t-be-bothered-to-vote’ folks in this country to get off their collective butts and take a stand?

I thought about this macro-phenomenon because of a micro-occurrence in my own world today. I have this weird thing with Ray-Ban sunglasses. Twice in my life I have found vintage pairs basically in the middle of nowhere and have given them new homes.

Despite their fragility, each one lasted me for years. My current pair sits perfectly on my face, but tend to be rather loose when they’re riding on the top of my head.

I’d been in the habit of thinking that it was annoying how they tend to fly off so easily, when today I realized that actually they have taught me to be much more mindful in my movements.

So many things are like that. And it’s not to diminish the difficulties or the dramas or the disasters in any way. The world works in weird ways and whenever we can go towards the light in the silver lining our hope will prevail.

With all my best and much love till next Monday!

M+

Mark Metz
Director of the Dance First Association
Publisher of Conscious Dancer Magazine