We danced.
And we fell in love.
Not with each other.
There was too much
reality between us
for something as
foolish as that.

We danced.
And we fell in love.
With the future.
With the possibilities
and potentials
and why nots
that might ever be.

We danced.
And we fell in love.
Because there was joy.
With just that
simple act of moving
and swaying and touching
as the music played.

We danced.
And fell in love.
Not forever, of course.
The music would end
and we would sit
and our troubles
would return.

We danced.
And I fell in love.
Yes. With you.
Because our moment
was timeless
and your laughter
is with me always.

copyright 2017, joseph e bird

Al Pacino’s character in Scent of a Woman, Frank Slade, is a retired Army colonel who’s having a tough time dealing with the loneliness in his life. He hires a college student (played by a very young Chris O’Donnel) to take him around for one last hurrah before he gives up on life. Did I mention that Frank Slade is blind? In the scene below, he dances the tango with a beautiful young woman and for a moment, remembers the joy that is possible.

That’s what dancing can do.