A Dancing Duo
I loved watching my parents on the dance floor!
My Dad had a twinkle in his eye as he held my Mom. They were always in step and glided easily to the rhythm of the music.
Even in the best of relationships, not all of us are so in synch.
Marriage is a Dance
I love dancing with my husband, but sometimes it takes him awhile to warm up.
I’m the opposite. I’m ready to jump up as soon as the first song comes on!
I’ve heard people say “marriage is a dance”. If that’s true, our dance has evolved through the ebbs and flows of our own personal growth.
Julie Kelley, Founder Truly Jude
In the early days, I’d hop up and he’d pretty quickly follow. As time went on, he was more reticent to dance.
For awhile, I would go out, and go back and forth to the table, hoping to convince him to come have fun with me.
Following My Own Rhythm
Today, as a 47-year-old woman, I don’t wait to dance!
We were at a wedding, in Maine, a few weeks ago. As soon as the first song came on — I was up and moving! I danced the entire night and it was so good for my soul!
When my husband joined in that was fun too, but it didn’t define how much fun I had that night.
Time Shifts Our Experience
Sackets Harbor, NY 1999 
Charlotte, VT 2016
Courtesy: Jacklyn Schmitz
Sometimes, we have mental shifts like the one that I have had over the last few years.
Sometimes, there are physical shifts that change things.
When the song Long Tall Sally by Little Richard (circa 1956) came on at the wedding in Maine, my friend’s 83-year-old Dad glided onto the dance floor and started moving like Fred Astaire.
His wife of almost 60 years watched from her table. She’s full of life, but can’t move quite as fast on the dance floor these days.
Her oldest daughter did the honors of stepping into her shoes. She gave her parents the gift of a dance that holds so many memories!
Being Self Conscious is a Waste of Youth
Julie Kelley, Founder Truly Jude
I spent many years being self conscious on a dance floor.
Age has give me wisdom to understand two things: I looked fine and no one else cared. Please repeat that to yourself if you love to dance and have any hesitation when the music comes on.
Today, I don’t care how I look to anyone else. I dance because it’s fun and it feels good!
The mother of the groom, second from left
The Dance of Life
I’ve been friends with the mother of the groom (from the Maine wedding) and another guest since we were in elementary school.
Together, we’ve lived through 40+ years of awkward times and angst, births, infertility and death, tons of laughs and struggles too.
Today, when the music comes on — none of us wait to dance!
Truly,
Julie
Your. Soulful. Space.
Hi, I’m Julie Kelley,
founder of Truly Jude.
Truly Jude is about honoring those soulful spaces inside ourselves, our living space and our surroundings.
It was born from the darkest days of my life after I took a wrong turn and didn’t know how I would find my way “home”.
It’s here where I share how my faith in a higher power and my unwavering belief in my own intuition have transformed me.
I hope this feels like a soulful space for you too!
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