Last year, for those dance friends who may have stumbled on my blog, you may recall I had many a ‘Yale Story’. I’m talking about The Yale, a blues bar where a group of us have danced for the last ~18 months on Monday nights. For much of last year I had many ‘Yale Stories’, and it got to the point where people thought I should keep a list. I didn’t. Though I remember some of the best.

What are ‘Yale Stories’? Yale Stories are those stories that happen when a drunk (or not so drunk) guy hits on a woman.  Usually I’m there to dance, so I’m not drinking heavily.  Needless to say their attempts are unsuccessful, I get a free glass of wine. On occasion.  100% unsuccessful on the poor drunken bar guy though. Mostly it was funny, and I have a lot of guy friends who would protect me — sometime too much! 😀

Anyhow, last December certain events became stressful in my life. I was having a conversation last week that made me realize that there is a correlation between that stress and the lack of ‘Yale Stories’.  I was asked the question why should those events and that stress suddenly change this.  I think I retreated back into some ‘shell of protection’. And it’s permeated all areas of my life. Or most anyhow…

Tonight at The Yale, I had a ‘Yale Story’. Nothing particularly special, certainly doesn’t top my best ever yale story, but it was a Yale Story. An older man — old enough to be my father — came up to me and said… “Hi… Wow… You’re Beautiful…” then stood about 6 feet away from me. Waiting. A dance friend rescued me.

So this intentional journey of healing, personal growth, and simply ‘dealing’ with those issues that we all have to deal with, that I’m currently on seems to be taking me somewhere. I’m projecting more self confidence perhaps? I got a Yale Story back. And that’s a good thing.