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Young at Heart FEB 2021 proof

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Yes, this is still Valentine Romance Month By Peggy Pollard, Santa Cruz Waltz & Swing Question: What is a better way to celebrate romantic love than dancing with a partner soul-stirring music? Answer: Nothing! GOOD NEWS! We have this whole MONTH to celebrate. Phew! One of the many won- derful things I learned from my awesome hus- band Bob is just that, We don't need an exact day to celebrate such holidays. Being so precise causes more stress than happiness, he taught me. (since he worked all the holidays anyway, he was already overdosed on stress. No. better to take a whole month, whenever it works best for us. for our Valentine celebration. Ahhhh such freedom! Such a relief! No more stress from the tyranny of the calendar. In 2021 we all definitely need a whole MONTH to celebrate LOVE, as nationally, nay, GLOBALLY, we are all in detox phase from worries of hate and fear this past year. So an EXTRA dose of romantic love will do us all good. Question: What is more powerful than fear and hate? Answer: Love!!! But…what is LOVE, really? That word can mean many things: happy feelings, eros, romance, pleasure, affection, friendship, faithfulness, altruism, goodness. On Valentine's Day we celebrate a particular kind of love, that roman- tic, sparky delight of two souls finding a special attraction to each other, the kind that, hopefully, lasts a lifetime, tocreate a family upon, right? Will you be MY Valen- tine? Romantic love definitely makes a delightful story climax… Hallmark Channel makes millions running that same story endlessly, 24-hours daily, where sparks kindle the union of two hearts within` a few dramatic moments. Much as we delight thinking of love epito- mized by pleasurable lip-to-lip electricity, Valentine's original story had a much different scenario. "Valentine Love" was actually the story of a person's unselfish acts, sacrificial even their life, for the sake of others in their community. St. Valentine's Day was instituted by Pope Gelasius to replace the pagan fertility holiday of Lupercalia. The original "Valentine" according to www.Histo- ry.com was probably one of three possible saints, all named Valentine, martyred by the Catholic church for helping others. My favorite story is of the priest performing secret illegal wedding ceremonies from his jail cell. He was beheaded for that. So…. when you ask some- one to "Be My Valentine" you are actually asking him to sacrifice his life for you! Whoahhhhh, let's re-think this, a bit. Rather than getting all wound up about purchasing the best chocolates, flowers, cards, diamonds and gifts, (NOTE: I'm NOT complaining about any of that, REAL Valentine love is not what I can GET from my lover, but what can I GIVE. Isn't that more satisfying? Yep, REAL love is about sacrificing, giving up of one's own pleasure or benefit, in the service of the other person. This is what really ignites the deeper part of our soul! We learn this instantly in partner dancing. The skills to move musically, harmoniously, with a partner depend on each partner focus- ing on what is best for the other. While both lead and follow roles have spe- cific, complementary skills,the goal of both is helping your partner succeed. Dancers who put their partner's enjoy- ment above their own, serving their partners needs first, are the best partners. When I watch my dance partners sweaty face light up with a smile after our waltz, my satisfaction deepens, my confidence grows, their delight is my reward. Of course, this works best when BOTH part- ners have this generous attitude. So, does this contradict our delight with Val- entines chocolates and flowers? No, not at all. When we give each gift, dance each dance, smile each smile, for the purpose of delighting the other per- son, that is true love. On my first date with Bob, 34 years ago, was I attracted by his hand- someness? spectacular dance moves? slick car? NO. No, my romantic flame ignited when, at the end of our group meal, he jumped up to help wash the dishes. Yes, folks, that is TRUE love in my book. So, dear ones, If you are searching to FIND the right partner, focus instead on BEING the right partner. Be the spark you want to find in this life. Give a smile to a passing stranger, thrill a friend with a 3-minute Polka, work 60 years to nurture your family. Your acts of giving good- ness to others bring you true Valentine happiness. Someday my body on this planet will take its last breath. If I've spent my life serving others, making their lives better, both my precious few family, and my international audience of many, if I am their Valentine in some way, that, my dear waltzers, will be a life well lived. Join our Santa Cruz Waltz & Swing dances to learn how. No partner needed, (but nice if you have one) We seek a community where people age at home with dignity and good health. We seek a community where all people receive supportive health and social services in the least restrictive environment possible Health Projects Center supports people as they age to live safely at home by delivering high quality services and programs in the Monterey Bay Region. TO HELP PEOPLE AGE AT HOME, WE WORK ON 3 LEVELS. Dignity and Health for an Aging Population Serving the Monterey Bay Region Since 1980 1-800-624-8304 www.hpcn.org | www.delmarcaregiver.org Central Coast Area Health Education Center We strengthen and support the health care workforce to more effectively address geriatrics and chronic care management. Del Mar Caregiver Resource Center We support family caregivers to provide and sustain quality care to their loved ones, and to take better care of their own physical and mental health. Multipurpose Senior Services Program We manage health care and supportive services for medically frail low-income elders so that they can stay safely at home. Social Dancing for solos and couples Peggy Pollard, Teacher Peggy@WaltzTribe.com www.WaltzTribe.com www.PeggyDance.weebly.com Santa Cruz Waltz & Swing online dances & lessons Waltz Tribe membership Grow your mind, body & soul Dance to music you love Sign up Now for up-coming Classes! COVID-19 vaccine. For his fellow septua- genarians and those old- er, Shaffer emphasized the need to do some form of exercise. "They need to do something, even walk- ing," he said. "Lifting helps maintain muscle mass." It also helps to have a partner. Shaffer... continued from page 1 Shaffer surrounds him- self with other active people. He has a friend he works out with and his wife of 34 years Jo Shaffer is an avid tennis player. His mother, who is now 95, was a profes- sional Flamenco dancer in Spain. Eating healthy plays an important role, too, he says and added he's never used any drugs, recreational or steroids of any kind, and never smoked. "Diet is important in keeping healthy and feeling good about living," he said. There is one temptation -- chocolate. "I gave up chocolate for Lent," he said. What keeps him going every day is his faith, volunteer work and thinking about what to do next on the property. "This is keeping me young, if it doesn't kill me," he joked. Wayne Shaffer, 73, doing pull ups at Shaffer Park, the 24-acre memorial to his brother Ron. (Shmuel Thaler - Santa Cruz Sentinel) Santa Cruz native, U.S. Navy veteran and award-winning bodybuilder Wayne Shaffer. (Shmuel Thaler - Santa Cruz Sentinel)

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