how can you just walk away from me

Tonight I had to take my niece to her dance class. Now I don’t know how many of you guys know that I used to dance and I used to teach dance. So there is a little soft spot in my heart for dance and for dancers.
So I’m in this studio tonight watching Benny’s dance class and my eyes keep wandering around to the other studios where there are other classes going on, older classes. Then I see this girl come out of the other studio. She’s probably about 14 or 15, wearing her black leotard and pink tights. She stepped out of the studio and is standing over her dance bag. I went back to my book but glanced back at her when I realized she was just standing there. She was facing a window that to a room that was dark so she could see her reflection. She wasn’t going back into class, she wasn’t getting anything out of her bag, she was just standing there looking at herself.
So I looked a little closer. I could tell she was trying not to cry. She adjusted her leotard, smoothed her hair all while biting her lip and trying so hard not to cry. I knew that look. Then she reached down and pulled a knee brace out of her bag and slipped on over her tights. She stood there for a minute longer, still looking into her own reflection, avoiding eye contact with anyone else in the lobby although we were all looking at her. She took a deep breath and walked back into her class, ballet.
The thing about dancers (and really any athlete) is that they push through the hardships. If their dream is big enough and strong enough they will overcome. It’s a beautiful thing, and also can be a dangerous thing. Dancers in particular put their bodies through hell. Most end up having joints of 80 year olds at the age of 20. They go through lots of pain, as well as financial strife. The dedication is insane to any other person, but sometimes it can pay off.