Beyond Beef

I would like to correct one small, itty, bitty, ridiculously stupid thing that I've heard too much. 

For almost three years now, Mike and I have been square dancing and have been, comparatively, the youngest square dancers on the floor more often than not.

Which is fine. 

There are the usual comments like, "What do your friends say?" as if we have any that would want to listen to us talk about this, or "How can we get more young people like you into this?"

IDK? Ask them to not bear children, I guess.

Answering to all that isn't the annoying thing. We dance at the advanced level now and are learning the first level of challenge. Because of our perceived age, we get asked how long we've been dancing because we obviously have had to learn quite a lot in a truncated period, comparatively.

After whatever inquisition ensues, it always seems to be summed up into the following stab:

"Well, you have a young brain."

And I'm just wondering at what point will our age stop being the sole reason for all our success?

At what age exactly will I just get to exchange my young brain for an old one so I can, too, make this excuse and forgo putting in effort anymore?

When will I just finally give up and fall in love with mediocrity?

Or will the excuse for doing anything, and doing it well, perpetually and eternally be me and my "young brain"?

Because that reeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeally discounts all of the other things that went into it.

No, no, no nevermind all the hours and effort, the self-training and repetition, the commitment to stay the course, the money and time spent travelling to get more hours of experience and buying the resources to learn the things that I want to learn how to do.

Just to be told ...

*~(It's 'cuz you have young brain.)~* :P ;)

As if intelligence and self-discipline are just inherent traits of "young" people everywhere, whatever ambiguous number that refers to.

Like my age is the only reason why I still have energy to do things.

Please, instead, recognize that I still have the energy to do things I want to do because

~*( I still want to do them.)*~

The truth is that learning has N.O.T.H.I.N.G. to do with brain age.

You just do the things you want to do.

It's that simple.

If you really want to do something, you have the privilege of deciding to control your own mind to figure out a way to do what you want to do.

And then, once you have decided, it is the persistence and commitment to becoming that character that knows how to do the things that physically builds the neurons and creates the brain connections to make it happen.

Now, you all know because you have seen this video that time is fake. 

And so my audience is obviously aware that you can make things happen perceivably faster by just being ready for them, increasing energetic output, etc.  

So, if time is fake, then so is age.

Which means then so is that comment that stabs me so.

*dramatic reenactment*

It is passion, it is care, that moves the energy to collapse realities into the talent you see before you.

Have you ever studied outside of class to actually know the definitions so that you could competently dance-by-definition?

Have you ever loaded the boat in a Microtel hotel room because you had just learned it the week before and wanted to be sure you knew it before you went out onto the floor again? 

Have you motivated in your living room with six other phantom dancers from every position so that you know where to go regardless of whatever help you may receive in the square?

Have you ever reverse-engineered a two-couple tip from Tony Collingwood on paper in order to properly visualize where your distorted box formation would be in order to accurately zing?

Have you ever courtesy turned yourself?

(j/k j/k)

I've just noticed that people like use their age as an excuse instead of just being honest with what they care to do.

And to be noticeably remarkable at something just to have your passion be smushed into a small little age box for discussion.

Psh.

That is so cheap.

You're missing all the character, all the passion, all the care that went into it that makes it fun not only for me but synergistically awesome for everyone else in the square.

Good thing I don't take things personally anymore,

TWS