So, I used to get a little bummed out by Wednesdays…you know, that whole mid-week slump thing. But now, I love ’em…thanks to wonderful guest posters here at Tag(g)lines!
Guests like the lovely Lisa Jordan. Lisa is such a skilled writer! I first got to know Lisa through My Book Therapy and now consider her a wonderful friend. I remember at least year’s ACFW Conference when she handed me an advanced reader copy of her first novel…oh, tears!
Lisa’s keeping with our February theme and writing about love…and, yes, Richard Gere. 🙂 And we’re doing a contest! Join the conversation below and I’ll enter you into a drawing to win a copy of Lisa’s debut novel Lakeside Reunion. Facebook/Tweet the link and you’ll be entered twice. The deadline to enter is Tuesday, February 21, at 5 p.m.
A Promise of a Lifetime
Worn from an exhausting week, I curled up in my comfy leather chair in the corner of the living room, plugged in my ear buds, and watched Shall We Dance on Hulu.
If you’re not familiar with the story, it’s about a married man played by Richard Gere who is blessed in many ways, but longs for happiness in the routine and drudgery of his life. He spies a woman in the window of a dance studio he passes daily on the L-train. Somewhere in the middle of the movie, he tells her, “You looked on the outside the why I was feeling on the inside.”
His wife, played by the lovely Susan Sarandon, suspects he’s having an affair and hires a private detective, who learns her husband is taking dance lessons. When she confronts her husband, he admits to being ashamed about not being happy. Later, she suggests he can teach her to dance, but very sternly he tells her he’s not dancing anymore. Then he goes to her and apologizes by saying,
“The one thing I am proudest of in my whole life, is that you’re happy with me. If I couldn’t, if I couldn’t tell you that I was unhappy sometimes, it’s because I didn’t want to risk hurting the one person I treasure most. I’m so sorry.”
When John is invited to a farewell party for the dance instructor, his wife gives him a gift—something he wants that finally comes in a box—dancing shoes. With the song “The Book of Love” playing in the background, the viewer watches John wrestle with his passion for dance. Then on the way home he looks at the dance studio window and sees a dance invitation for him.
Looking dashing in a black tux and carrying a single red rose, he takes the escalator to where his wife is working late and hands her the rose. She asks why he isn’t at the dance, and he tells her to dance he needs a partner, and his partner is right in front of him. He asks her to dance, but she doesn’t know the steps. He promises to teach her.
When we’re young and in love, passion runs strong and we may not be able to keep our hands off our partner. Once the wedding cake is eaten, the dress cleaned and put away, the honeymoon over, and photos framed, couples face spending the rest of their lives together.
The kids come. The house payment needs made. The car needs to be inspected. And the everyday life has a way of stealing away the joy we may have felt on our wedding day. The passion gives way to the mundane. We may feel taken for granted. Or even forgotten. Or maybe even cast aside for someone else in search of that passion again.
True passion, true love is the kind that runs deep—the kind that withstands the mundane, the kind that supports a job loss or life-altering illness, the kind that vows are made of—for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, until death do us part.
That’s a promise we make to our dance partner—it’s a promise to care for him or her, a promise to teach her the steps, a promise of a partnership. A promise for a lifetime.
Married for almost 24 years, Lisa Jordan knows a little something about romance. She and her husband have two nearly-grown sons and will face an empty nest in a few months. Despite the mundane, they still take time to dance. Lisa is a contemporary romance novelist with Love Inspired. Her debut novel,
Lakeside Reunion, released in November 2011. Her second novel,
Lakeside Family, will release in August 2012. To learn more about Lisa, visit her website at
www.lisajordanbooks.com.
What a beautiful post, Lisa! (Lisa also included a video from Shall We Dance…it’s below. So sweet. Sidenote: I love how Shall We Dance places such a high value on marriage.) You know, I think Lisa’s post relates to our faith as well. True, passionate faith, withstands the sometimes-mundane-ness of everyday life, too. What do you think, readers?
Worn from an exhausting week, I curled up in my comfy leather chair in the corner of the living room, plugged in my ear buds, and watched Shall We Dance on Hulu.
When John is invited to a farewell party for the dance instructor, his wife gives him a gift—something he wants that finally comes in a box—dancing shoes. With the song “The Book of Love” playing in the background, the viewer watches John wrestle with his passion for dance. Then on the way home he looks at the dance studio window and sees a dance invitation for him.
Comments 28
Melissa, thank you for asking me to be your Welcome Mat Wednesday blog guest! Sharing a room with you at ACFW that year was one of my highlights!
Yay, Lisa! I’m so glad you’re on the blog today…yes, being roomies was such a blast. And now I get to feel cool because I roomed with a multi-published author!!
So often we think happiness is on the other side of the fence when it surrounds us right where we stand. All we have to do is look around. Beautiful, sweet post, Lisa! Now I have to go find Shall We Dance!
Pat, it’s such a sweet movie! I highly recommend it…and I just love how both the wife and husband so highly value their marriage.
Hi Melissa and Lisa!
Lisa, Wonderful post! I haven’t seen that movie, but have heard of it. I’ll definitely watch it now. I have Lakeside Reunion on my TBR list. Congrats on your success!
Lakeside Reunion is so good, Loree! I bet you’ll love it!!
Such truth in this post. Marriage is hard and love is a choice, but it’s getting through the hard that brings such sweetness. Beautiful post, Lisa! Your book looks fantastic – congrats on your debut novel:)
Love is a choice. Such truth!
What a lovely way to frame the truth of marriage.
And I haven’t watched “Shall We Dance” either . . . but I will. Oh, yes, I will!
Oh, you have to watch it, Beth. It’s soooo sweet! And I think there’s a lot to draw from it as a writer too…Richard Gere’s inner struggle, trying to figure out what he wants…love it!
I’ve never seen that movie, thanks for the run down! I love how much you love your husband. Such a testimony, my friend.
I need to have Lisa back on the blog someday to talk about how she met her husband. If I recall, it’s a cute story…
Awesome post! I remember seeing previews for this movie but have never actually seen it. Now I want to. 🙂
I’m going to sound like a broken record, but it’s such a good movie!!!
I loved this movie. I couldn’t get the Youtube for the welcome to work…Waaah!
I think it definitely crosses over to our faith. Truly, Jesus is the best Dancer ever! I loved this post, Lisa, but I love every post you write! You write with such passion about passion it jumps through the screen! LOVE!!
And Tagg, WATCH ALL OF JAWS. THE WHOLE THING. ALL OF IT. TONIGHT!! LOL
Oh wah, I wonder why it didn’t work! Basically, I just said Lisa is totally cool and I love her and her writing. 🙂 And you’re right, Lisa does write with passion…in this post and also in her book.
But if I watch Jaws tonight, am I going to have nightmares?! hehehe…
I’m loving all the two-fer posts today. What fun to visit with you and Lisa here, Melissa.
Great post! Shall We Dance is one of my favorite movies. I’ve watched it numerous times. I love how it celebrates marriage. The first time I watched it, I was so afraid John would make a bad decision. When I saw him come up that escalator, I cried.
I like how you acknowledge that marriage takes work and commitment, Lisa. I touched on that very topic in my post today. Great minds. . . 🙂
I had the same reaction when I watched it, Keli. At first I was thinking, oh man, do the movie makers want us to want him to cheat on or leave his wife? I hate it when movies do that…instead this one really held up marriage as something to work at. The husband and wife both had to give…and oh, such a happy ending!
Loved this post. I saw that movie awhile ago and remembered liking it, but I’d love to watch it again.
It’s so true…just like passion in a marriage can “fade” or be put aside if we aren’t careful, our faith can be too. We get so focused on the discipline of our faith, or on serving, or whatever, that we forget to look into the eyes of our Savior and sigh at the depth of His love for us.
“We get so focused on the discipline of our faith, or on serving, or whatever, that we forget to look into the eyes of our Savior and sigh at the depth of His love for us.” Love this, Lindsay…so true…
Lisa, I loved this post. Marriage means everything to me–it’s not always easy or fun, but it’s always worth it. Have you seen the Japanese version of Shall We Dance? I was mesmerized. Mesmerized!! And we’re talking sub-titles. 🙂 I haven’t seen the American version yet, but I’m adding it to my list.
Melissa, thanks for another lovely interview!
Ooh, I’ve seen the Japanese version! I loved it too!
I’ve never watched this movie either, but now I just might!
Our relationship with Jesus is so much like marriage on so many levels…passion can fade in both if we don’t make a conscious effort to keep it alive.
Great guest post!
It’s the conscious effort part that trips me up…in faith, I mean. I’m not married (yet), but you know, it’s good to hear people who are married talk about the work that goes into it. Hopefully one day I’ll go into it without blinders on. 🙂
I like that movie! Great post.
Thanks for stopping by, Stacy! I loved that you talked about movies on your blog post from yesterday (just read it). I give your list two thumbs up. 🙂
I loved this movie, especially because John doe NOT have an affair with the much-young-than-his-wife dancer, played by Jennifer Lopez, and instead stays faithful to his wife. I loved this thoughtful post, Lisa. Thanks for your fun blog, Melissa!
I know! I loved the same thing, Roxanne. I saw this movie with my sister and I think we were both skeptical going into it because we worried that’s the direction it would go. Instead, the movie really held up marriage as something worth fighting for. Thanks for stopping by, Roxanne!