confronting evil

For those who know me - you know I am passionate about dancing. The crazy kind of passionate. I feel alive when I dance. I feel free when I dance. I feel loved when I dance. It brings me the kind of joy that words can't explain. When I've had a crazy day, I can literally dance my way out of it. Dancing takes me from crazy to sane in 1 song.


So when I was assaulted on the dance floor earlier this spring, it was an incredible blow. Not only was I assaulted, but I was assaulted doing the one thing that I feel most alive doing. The details of the assault aren't important, but what happened next, victims of violence can relate to.


First there was shock - all emotion vanished. I told the owner of the club what happened like a math teacher explains an algebra equation. Then came the tears & the flood of emotion - like hurricane Katrina hitting the neighborhood - unprepared & vulnerable. Then there was fear. Would I see him again? Would I get hurt again? Then there was anger. Why did this happen to me? Why didn't anyone stop it? How come the police won't take a report? Then there was grief. Something innocent was taken away - something beautiful. Then came terror. I began looking over my shoulder everywhere I went - hyper vigilant at every turn.


But then that faint, small voice spoke to my heart . . . and whispered, "don't let him steal your joy." I leaned into the voice & let it continue to speak. It said, "he can do evil to your physical body, but he can't break your spirit. Don't let him steal your joy."


So I started to wonder . . . and waffle. Was I willing to take the risk of going back out? Would I risk going back out to the very place where I had been violated? Would I continue to look over my shoulder in fear? Would I risk confronting evil again?

For everyone who has been a victim of violence, it's a tough choice. The reality of evil is real, and it's effects are devastating.


But on Easter Sunday (which happens to be my favorite holiday), it became clear. Choose life. Choose freedom. Choose joy. DANCE!