Yesterday was a really stressful and emotional day. I ended up having to take my daughter to the Emergency Room and sitting there with her for a little over three hours. In the end, she’s okay and the baby is okay. She’s just under too much stress. I think it has been building up over the past four months and the last week has been particularly bad. I guess I’m glad she ended up in there because maybe now this will serve as the warning she needed to slow down, think about her options, herself and her baby. Of course this is easier said than done and it is her life so I won’t add to her stress by trying to influence her. I just have to be there to support her and stand by her. If I had my choice, I’d rather go strangle a particular neck but that’s not going to happen.
When I finally got home about 9 in the evening, I read the news about Patrick Swayze’s death. It came over a friend’s post on Face Book. I knew it was coming. I just didn’t know when or how it would hit me when it did.
Dirty Dancing is one of my all time favorite movies. It is probably around number five on my list. Why? I think, for me, there were lots of reasons. It was released in 1987. I was 31 years old. It was a time when I was a housewife with two kids under 5 and feeling neglected, ignored, unappreciated, well you get my drift. Then there was the music. Wow! I still want to get up and dance every time I hear the soundtrack, especially I’ve Had the Time Of My Life. The story was another attention grabber for me. I was always Miss Goody Two Shoes. Not doing anything wrong, wild, or fun! I always wanted to just hit that dance floor and never sit down but that would bring attention to me and my parents raised me to not ever bring attention to myself, either positive or negative attention. Then there was the story of the love story between Baby and Johnny. The dancing. I have always loved dancing. In college, once I was away from my parents, I learned to dance to all sorts of music that never played on the stereo in my parents’ house. I wanted to move. My body wanted to follow the beat of the music. My spirit craved to be allowed to show who I was inside.
There were lots of reasons. I think that the movie is somewhat symbolic to me. I know it’s the film that makes me smile and sway and want to get up and dance. It reminds me that just because someone acts in a way that is against the accepted norm it does not make them a bad person. The accepted norm is not the only right or good way.
Then there was Johnny Castle…Patrick Swayze. No one can deny the man could move. No one can deny that he could act (although many do, okay mostly guys). He had solid good looks. He had a wonderful singing voice. He was, in my eyes, a nearly perfect package.
I think that every girl melted when Johnny Castle walked over to Baby’s parents’ table and said, “Nobody puts Baby in the corner.” Who doesn’t want someone to stand up for them?! There’s a lot more to this reason but I’ll save that for another post. But when he delivers that line, we all melt (okay, except for the guys). We all want someone to fight for us. We all want someone to speak up and out for us. At least I always did. I’ve not had that. I’ve not ever felt that someone was sticking up for me; that someone was willing to fight for me. Not since my brother David beat up the kids that threw a baseball at my head when I was in first grade.
That’s what this movie did for me. That’s why it’s more special than Ghost or The Outsiders or anything else he did.
Tonight, when ABC airs Barbara Walters’ repeat of the interview with Patrick Swayze, I’ll be turning ABC off and putting in my Dirty Dancing DVD.
And it reminds me that the next time a certain person messes with my daughter, I will fight for her and I will stick up for her and if necessary, this fat little old lady will knock his lights out. Nobody messes with my baby!
I love it! Not the stress part( I hope her and the baby are okay), but here’s to fat, little old ladies, and underdogs everywhere! In 1987 I was a few years out of high school, and madly in love with a young lady that was dark haired, petite, and looked very much like Jennifer Grey. Patrick Swayze was and always will be one of my favorite actors, and even being a “chick flick”, I will always have fond memories of watching that movie, with that girl.
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Another heartfelt story. The ones that really touch us are the ones about things we missed in life, I think. There are those missing parts in every life. Not having a person to stand up for you creates a gaping void. I hope it happens for you one day.
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excellent post corina,, and you are right,, we all want to know somone has our back.. that feeling is rare,, but when it happens it can be life changing…. hope your daughter is alright and takes thiis clue to slow down and not stress so much over that which cannot be changed… XXOO
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The ending of that movie, from the time he takes her from her parents’ table, is one that I can watch a hundred times! To see them get up there, in front of all those people, and do the dance they wanted to do, to the music they wanted to hear, is wonderful.
I don’t need to watch the whole movie repeatedly, just that 10 minute ending.
(I also loved him as Orry Maine in “North and South”.)
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If you want to watch that final song, from where he gives the guy the record of his music before the dance, there is an excellent quality video on youtube…here’s the url: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WpmILPAcRQo
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I wonder how many of us have stood up for ourselves after hearing “Nobody puts Baby in a corner.” in our heads?
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I’m so far behind on your blog! Maybe tomorrow I can sit up longer and do some catching up.
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Corina,
I am glad your daughter and baby are okay. It must be very difficult to bite your tongue and just be there for support. You are a good mom!
I almost cried when Patrick Swayze died. He seemed like such a special person as well as a gifted actor. My husband and I watch movies on the weekends and we are going to go through all the Swayze movies. Dirty Dancing was certainly my favorite but I also loved Ghost. We haven’t watched any of them in a while so it will be fun to see them again. Well, fun and a bit bittersweet.
Warmly,
Tamara
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Corina, glad to hear that your daughter and her baby are okay. I would want you in my corner.
Patrick Swayze always struck me as someone who could have been a bigger star, but never was. I read about his marriage and how they supported each other and loved each other for 30+ years, a beautiful story. Loved that scene in Dirty Dancing where they take to the floor. It makes me cry.
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Thanks for stopping by, Bob. I actually have a post inspired by your guest post on Red Ravine, back in August. I don’t think you’ve seen that one yet. I think it was August 17th.
I hope you’ll come back.
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Reblogged this on Wasted Days And Wasted Nights and commented:
Here is a post from this date in 2009. I came across it on my memories feed on Face Book. Yesterday was the anniversary of Patrick Swayze’s death. My daughter is still, three babies later, running herself ragged to support the family. And me? I’m still here ready to support her and the kids and if I have to knock someone in the face, I will do that, too.
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