used to??

For those that don't know I was a pretty hard core dancer growing up. Six days a week sophomore, junior, senior, and half of my freshman year of college. This included every Friday night and most of Saturday. Needless to say dancing was my life. I took about 7 months off when I was 18. Not really by choice, but because my studio was being too dramatic and by the time I was forced to leave there it was too late to sign up for the classes at school. I then transferred schools and was a dance major. That was where my husband and I feel in love. (But, that's a story for a whole different post). We decided to more back to where my family was. So I went back to my first college, and then took dance classes there. Second semester there the second time I found out I was pregnant. So when it was over in April I took a break from school to have her the following October. I went back to school part time in the spring, but didn't take any dance classes. So here I am in a jazz class after a 16 month break.

Yesterday someone in the class asked me "did you used to be a dancer." I answered yes and went on with the class. But that got me thinking. Used to be??? Am I that bad that I'm no longer a dancer? Is there a time in your life when you can say "I used to be a dancer." I think something like that stays with you you whole life. I didn't used to be a dancer. I am a dancer. To me that's almost like saying I used to be a mom when your children move out and leave you. You are still a mom, you can't take back those 18+ years. They are so ground into you that you can't change it. Dance is just like that. Possibly, I guess I could say I used to dance, but still a dancer. However, right now I am dancing. So I can't even say that.

I don't know how one little question can make you go into philosophical mode. But, it just goes to show how careful we need to be when we are talking to someone. We don't know what they are going through.