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THE SHEDDING ROOM

 

By Charles Naddeo

 

July/August 1983

Blue Book

 

            In the early 1940's, the Square Dance leaders felt that Square Dancing needed a set of rules that would set Square Dancing apart from ballroom dancing.  The Square Dancer's Code of Ethics came into existence here in Southern California and was soon universally accepted.  The two rules that have, for years been stressed are Courtesy and Friendliness.  For many years Square Dancers observed these rules to the letter and everywhere you went you could be sure if there were Square Dancers present, you were among friends who would show you every Courtesy, make you feel at home and reluctant to leave at the end of a dance or a meeting.

           

            In today's hectic world where everyone is striving to be a success in their work, at home and at their hobby, which is Square Dancing, there is a growing tendency to ignore the rules.  We get to a dance or a meeting filled with our own need to show how much we know, and get impatient with those who cannot match our own level of expertise.  We forget to be Courteous, to be Friendly unless by doing so we advance to a higher (so called) level of dance or office.

            I believe it is time that we all set aside a small part of our mind as a Shedding Room

           

            In that part of the mind, set up as a Shedding Room, would be placed Affection, Bias and Bigotry.  There would be shelves for Pettiness, Intolerance, Partisanship, Fore-gone Conclusions and Hasty Judgments.  Stacked in one corner of the room would be Evasion, Subterfuge, Pretense and Insincerity.  A member could literally walk into the Shedding Room a bully and come out a "nice guy", or enter the room a demagogue and emerge an attentive listener.  With this system being used by all, the atmosphere in the hall or in a meeting would encourage Common Sense, Friendliness and Understanding.  It would inspire Leadership as no time would be wasted on Pettiness or Bias.

            Having eliminated these bad habits and discovering how much more we enjoy the dance or meet-ing, we would find less and less room would be needed for the Shedding Room.  The idea of purging ones self of all those habits that retard positive growth is reasonable and necessary.  Necessary, because Courtesy and Friendliness are the Foundation Blocks of a successful club.

           

            We are fast approaching that time when we accept the fact that there are many people practicing their own form of Square Dancing.  They are all part of the Square Dance Family, each with a separate room where they can enjoy their own style of dance.  There is also a big room where they all periodically get together and dance to the Basic Mainstream Calls as friends because all Bias, Inflated Ego, Pettiness and Intolerance was stored away in the Shedding Room.

           

            Wouldn't it be wonderful if we all played this harmless game which can be played anywhere, anytime.  To go to a dance would again be a pleasure and fun, because everyone would be Courteous and Understanding.  You would recognize everyone as friends because the hand of Friendship was extended to greet you when you arrived and always there to help you through the calls and to wish you a safe journey home.

 

            It would be, and could be Wonderful, and it can happen if we set up our own Shedding Room.  It can be done if we try.

GIVE IT SOME THOUGHT