A Simple Thank You

Today I want to take a moment and bring some attention to the Acknowledgements page at the end of To Withstand the Tempest: The Guardians of Bliss vol. 2…

My three girls spend a good chunk of their time taking dance classes.  We have been blessed to be at our studio for ten years now.  

I’m so thankful to their teachers for allowing me to sit at the table in the lobby 3-4 times a week to write while my girls were busy in class.  I wrote more than two thirds of this story while the girls danced.  All my fellow writers can understand the importance of finding a place where you feel like your creativity can flow.  A good atmosphere is such a blessing when trying to get the words down on paper.

I’m beyond thankful Miss Julie let me use her space for writing, otherwise this book might never have been published.  More importantly, however, I appreciate our studio for the way the teachers help my children grow.

I’ve seen and heard some ugly things about parts of the dance world.  I’ve had friends share stories of bad experiences they’ve had with dance studios their kids attended. 

That’s the reason I’m so thankful we found our studio, because the teachers not only focus on helping kids become wonderful dancers, but they also care about helping these same kids become wonderful human beings.

They teach their students to value each other’s strengths and weaknesses.  The dancers learn the value in building one another up instead of tearing each other down.  Dancers like my oldest daughter, who is Autistic, have the opportunity to shine despite the fact it takes them a little longer to master the technique.  These wonderful teachers help their dancers feel confident in their ability to work hard and achieve their goals.

To sum it all up, I believe Miss Julie and her staff of teachers work hard to create an atmosphere of love and hope in the studio.  For anyone who has read my books, you know how much I value love and hope.  In a world where so many kids feel lost and trapped, it is refreshing to watch the dancers at our studio walk out the door feeling confident, accomplished, and above all, loved by the teachers who work with them every week.

In a day and time when every headline seems to bring us another bit of dismal or tragic news, I wanted to remind everyone there are still people working hard to bring a little more light into the world.  

I’m truly thankful my family has the opportunity to be a part of this incredible studio…