Dancing with Imperfection

Cobblestone of Avignon Bridge, Avignon, France, 2018

The peculiar bridge stopped in its tracks and only spanned halfway across the river. I remember singing the children's song "Sur La Pont d'Avignon, On y danse, On y danse" in French class. I had no idea what it meant other than it was a happy song, and folks were dancing on a bridge (pont) for some reason. A few years ago, we were in Southern France in the city of Avignon. I stood on that beloved bridge and did a little dance. Originally completed in Gothic times of 1185 -- so long ago; it was a feat of engineering stretching a kilometer across the Rhone river. But, unfortunately it was washed away several times by flood waters and rebuilt. It was continually being worked on and repaired for hundreds of years until it was eventually abandoned in the 17th century. Perhaps sad to leave it that way, but it is also what makes it unique and the stuff of legends.

Makes me think of the continual project we can make of ourselves physically and emotionally, often not realizing it is our imperfections or oddities that make us unique and exactly who we are meant to be. .. even as we age. That's something to dance about!

“We can’t choose the music that life gives us,

but we can choose how to dance to it.” ~ Unknown

Pont D'Avignon over Rhone river - Creative Commons photo by Stephen Colebourne