26 February, 2012

The Ballerina Who Gave in Too Easily

There was once a young ballerina who had taken ballet lesson all through her childhood. She wanted to be a prima ballet dancer but she wanted to be sure that she had the talent. When a ballet company came to town, she went backstage after the performance and spoke to the ballet master.

“I want to be a great ballet dancer but I don’t know if I had the talent” she said.

“Dance for me” the master said. After a minute or two, he shook his head and said “No, no, no, you don’t have what it takes to be a great ballerina.”

The young woman went home heartbroken. She tossed the ballet slippers into the closet and never wore them again. Instead she got married, had children. When the kids are old enough, she took a part time job manning a cash register at a corner shop.

Years later, the same ballet company came into town. She attended it and on the way out, she ran into the same old ballet master who was then in his eighties. She reminded him that they had spoken before. She showed him photos of her children and told him about the corner shop job that she is doing now. And then she asked “There is just one thing that really bothered me. How could you tell me that I don’t have what it takes to be a great ballerina?”

“Oh, I barely look at you when you danced, that’s what I told all of them who came to me” he said.

“But…but, that’s unforgivable! You have ruined my life, I could have been a great ballet dancer!” she cried.

“No, no…I don’t think so, if you have what it takes, you wouldn’t have paid any attention to what I said.” The old ballet master said.

Well, whose fault is it anyway?

Never, never, never give in whatever you do.

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