Becca's Manifesto

Freedom is just another word for "nothing left to lose."

- Janis Joplin

For as long as I can remember I have been fighting for my freedom.  I don’t like being told what to do, nor do I like being told what not to do; essentially, I’m trying to say that I hate being restricted in any way, shape, or form.  Every person who knows me will say that I am a very free spirited and lively person.  I truly value my independence.  Recently, however, I stumbled upon the above quote by Janis Joplin, and it resulted in a tsunami of enlightenment crashing into my head.  I can never be free!  While the adjectives above really do describe me, I am also, on the contrary, passionate, caring, and devoted.  I could never ignore the people I love for my own gain.  While I want to forever travel the world I could never abandon those that I love, and while I would like many riches I could never take away from the poor.  My family and friends mean the world to me, and I am a firm believer of karma.  Doing harm unto others will only bring harm onto you.  In order to be loved you must love in return.  If you want to earn thanks you must give.  You must listen before you are heard.

The art of dance has pulsed in my bones ever since I could walk, and I’ve tried to use this talent as much as I can.  Last year, however, I took the season off to rediscover my love for the sport.  It was this time away that made me realize how much I have taken for granted, and, like the song says, “You don’t know what you’ve got ‘till it’s gone.”  Since returning to the studio for this season, I have been working my ass off to make up for the lost time.  In life, you can’t go backwards and change the past.  Regrets only hold us down, so if one does choose to miss out on an opportunity, one will have to work twice as hard to make up for that loss.  When I was out of my routine, I became lazy and sloppy.  Now that I’m back with it, I feel energized and complete.  This experience of time lost is valid for more than just dancing; I learned to appreciate a lot more in my life.  While you can’t have it all, I’ve learned that that I have more than enough.  Life’s not fair, but just as much as that is to your disadvantage it is to your advantage.  Inner peace will come if you learn to follow your heart and do what makes you happy, because in the end, you are all you have.  Life will go on, until it doesn’t anymore.

In order to be irreplaceable, one always must be different.

- Coco Chanel