A sighting of courage

We've talked several times here about the courage that is needed to initiate real change, about the need for a brave person to go out there in front of everyone else – knowing full well they'll be seen as an eccentric, an outlier – and do what they know many others really want to do as well. And we've spoken of how this will usually fail. Most attempts will end with that one brave person getting tired, with no one willing to join in and look foolish too. But sometimes they will succeed. Sometimes the perseverance of that first soul will be joined by another, and then another, and then many, many more. Suddenly everyone is transported into a new place, a new way of being with one another. They can't even remember why they didn't want to join in before. This just makes sense; they're having so much fun. Well, I saw his happen at the weekend. An old family friend of my wife had his 60th birthday, and he celebrated big. A whole concert hall was rented, all friends and family from the last 20 years were invited, food, beer, wine, and then this former East German resident got up on stage with his rock 'n roll band (now all over 60) and played The Beatles, The Clash, Credence and more. And they were pretty, darned good! But no one was dancing.

Except then someone did. A man in his 40s, good jeans, leather boots, denim jacket got up and started dancing like he was on something. He was spinning, gyrating, running from one end of the dance floor to the other. And he didn't just do this for one song, he did it for one, and then another, and then another. And no one joined him, not even the kids.

Except then someone did. By the fourth song another middle-aged woman came to join him. At first he didn't even notice - he was completely in his own world. But then she caught his eye and he was, if only for a split second, obviously overjoyed that someone else was dancing too. And then others came, slowly at first and then more and more. A song or two later half the room was dancing, everyone was having a great time, and no one knew why they'd waited so long, why they'd let that brave man in the denim jacket have all that fun by himself.

It worked, while I – I'm ashamed to admit – stayed sitting in my seat. Next time I promise to do better.