Valentine's Dance

Last night I had the distinct pleasure of attending an old time Valentine's Dance in the middle of Nowhere, Tennessee. Actually, it was in Santa Fe, Tennessee, but it might as well have been in the middle of no where. After turning on to and off of six different back roads, while listening to the GPS lady say "no road found" over and over, I was ready to arrive.

This was my first year to attend, but the dance's seventh year. The place (an old auction barn) was packed to the brim, which could be told by the "squeeze your car in wherever you can find a place in the muddy parking lot." Couples were mainly in their 70's and older (bless their hearts), but I wasn't going to let that detour me from having fun and enjoying "real" country music. Besides, how can a girl go wrong with fresh pecan pie being sold?

Right away I recognized some faces from the Williamson County Bluegrass Band on stage. They were kind enough to let me aka Darcy Ferris Photography take lots of photos of them at the Dave Macon Days celebration in Murfreesboro, TN last year. One of the band members, Billy (in his 70's but a helluva dancer), and I chatted for a spell. He had previously told me he'd always remember my name as it was his ex's. Whatever it takes to be remembered! HaHa.

Next to take the stage was a great country band called "Homer Dever." Working in today's music industry, it's very easy to lose track of what real country music sounds and looks like. They refreshed my senses that it's still alive and very much around. THANK GOD!

Then, I started to wonder what songs will play when I'm in my 70's? Brittany Spear's two-steps? Surely not!

As I sat among the older generations, I'll admit I began to feel a bit sorry for myself for not having a date. Then, I began to look around and think about love and what it really means. I saw that love is sometimes holding hands and not saying anything while one partner leads the other on the dance floor. Love can be spending thirty years together and sharing a piece of pecan pie. Love can be bringing the grandchildren along so Mom and Dad can have a night alone. Love was certainly everywhere last night and I feel so blessed to have been right in the middle of it.