I do know how important it is for we angels not to allow our personal emotions to influence our assignments, but I really could not help myself. Thankfully, this time it seems to have done some good.
Let me explain. Myrtle and Jaquinn had something of an argument earlier this week—not as explosive as their last, but enough to make things tense between them. As a peace offering, Jaquinn purchased tickets to a dance performance for yesterday evening. At first, Myrtle was not impressed.
“Ballet?” She tossed the tickets scornfully onto the table. “No, thanks.”
“Come on, bae,” Jaquinn coaxed, retrieving the tickets. “You need to shake it up a little bit.”
“With ballet?” She laughed, returning her attention to the video game she was playing. “I think ballet is the exact opposite of shaking things up.”
“Myrtle, please?” Jaquinn asked, leaning forward earnestly. “I really want to go. My mama always loved ballet.”
Myrtle’s eyes went to his. He has recently told her about the early death of his mother, a conversation that involved the first tears she ever saw him shed. I reminded her of the trust that confidence had required from him, the trust that made him present his vulnerability to her again in a moment when she was feeling less kindly towards him.
“Mama’s boy,” she muttered. But she turned off the game and snatched a ticket, frowning down at it. “Do I have to dress up?”
Whether or not she had to, she did, pulling a beautiful gold dress out of her closet that made Jaquinn stare. He also looked very “spiffy” as Myrtle put it, in a sleek black tuxedo with a bow tie.[1] I went with them to judge the effect of Jaquinn’s olive branch,[2] but I must admit, I completely lost track of both of my charges when the show began.
Ballet, to me, seems to be the epitome of feminine strength. At first glance, the dancers in their pink tulle with their graceful movements appear to be everything that the world sees in its women—smiling, silent, and concerned only with beauty. But even from a distance, I could see the strength and control required to present an appearance of perfect grace and balance. Their smiles were not for anyone else, but only for themselves, rejoicing in the joy of their triumph.
And the partnerships there on the stage were truly inspiring. Neither man nor woman was dominant over another, but true equals exchanging strength and support. Total trust was evident in the exchanges of the dancers—when one lifted another, when they leaned on one another, when they spun and turned together, they depended on one another to use just the right amount of strength to maintain the interchange. It was exquisite, and I was utterly captivated. I stayed too long, but Danit offered some of her own reach to offset any drain on myself, so long as I share my memory with the Repository. I am glad to do it, of course—I want my brethren to enjoy what I have seen.
When the show was over, I returned my attention to Myrtle and Jaquinn, only to find them both as affected as I had been. They stayed in their seats while others began to depart the theatre, eagerly poring over Myrtle’s phone.
“Look, there’s a couple from the English National Ballet dancing to Bohemian Rhapsody,” Jaquinn laughed.
Myrtle gasped, skimming past the video he had pointed out. “Ballet vs. hip hop? Definitely I have to check that out.”
“I bet you can draw on a lot of techniques from ballet to teach your students,” Jaquinn suggested, getting to his feet and offering a hand to Myrtle.
She took it, squeezing tightly, her eyes sparkling with excitement. “Oh, you just wait, baby, they are gonna love it!”
Would they have been so excited if I had not been? I doubt it. They may have enjoyed the show, but it would not have caught them up so much without me to influence them.
It was eye-opening to me, to see in action how much of a bond I form with my charges, even in a short time. My emotions are transmitted to them, and they react as if the feelings were their own. In this case it was a good thing, but I have to make certain nothing negative is ever transferred.
It has, however, made me miss my other assignments, and so in the next few days I will be checking in with the others. I will write again with my findings.
[1] The tuxedo would appear to be the finest of all men’s clothing in modern times. The exception with Jaquinn was his choice of tie. Apparently the bow tie, rather than the straight tie, brings a sense of light-heartedness, perhaps even silliness. Myrtle was teasing him about it, but Jaquinn reiterated several times that bow ties were cool.
[2] Across history humans have considered olive branches to represent peace and reconciliation. I learned about this association recently from my Scribe friend Bayaer, who would be happy to explain more fully to anyone who is interested.