Dear Rosemary Plorin: 'I hope you dance'

Dear Ms. Plorin:

I read your letter in the Charlotte Observer, addressed to Carolina Panthers' QB Cam Newton. Initially, I found it ridiculous. Then, I looked you up and discovered you are the head of a PR firm. I then read the letter again, and I found it suspicious. Maybe your intention had nothing to do with seeking to open dialogue re: sportsmanship, as you proffered after receiving backlash from the letter. Maybe your letter was a stealthy way to get your name out there and raise the visibility of your PR firm. I don't know...I don't know you, so my suspicions may be unwarranted.

I wanted to say:

But that would have been rude, over the top, and unnecessary. We all have the right to voice our opinions and share our perspectives. 

I still find your letter laughable. You claim to have seen pelvic thrusts that didn't actually happen, you ignored Titans player Avery Williamson's dancing after sacking Newton and then getting after Newton for merely celebrating in like manner for his own good play, and you encouraged your daughter to divert her eyes toward a mascot (cool) and cheerleaders with their butt cheeks hanging out of their shorts (not cool). 

(photo from Titans website) 

That made no sense to me. But, hey, I cannot dictate your choices or your decisions. 

But I can wonder what you teach your daughter about enjoying life and not taking it so seriously especially when engaged in a game. I also wonder what you teach her about appreciating people for their differences and not judging them based on how you choose to live your own life. For instance, it is okay if I choose not to do somersaults after acing a test, but if Julie does a triple flip with a twist, that's okay too. It has nothing to do with me. After all, Julie and I are individually unique, and that's what makes life so grand. 

We shouldn't rule fun out of our lives. After all, we only get one. As someone who has been faced with the reality of mortality (Newton was in a pretty serious car accident last year.), it is really possible that Newton has decided to enjoy every moment of his life. Down here in Charlotte, we see him smile through everything (literally), pop up to surprise a terminally ill little boy AND bring ice cream, pray before every game, and just be a decent human being. 

I hope you teach your daughter to take every opportunity to celebrate life and to not get in the way or take offense when someone else decides to do the same. There is room for everyone to have their moment, and allowing someone else's moment to take you out of your character (as Williamson did) is more about who you are than who that person is. Everything and every moment isn't about you. 

I hope you tell your daughter to celebrate her accomplishments, big or small, and that life comes with ebbs and flows, wins and losses. 

I wish you would have told your daughter that sometimes the rules allow more than we might imagine. That some people actually know the rules, follow them and still do what makes them happy. This was evident with Newton's celebration...he did it within the rules. 

I also hope you teach your daughter to not make assumptions about people based on her limited knowledge of who they are. Encouraging statements like "he must not have a mom at home watching," is detrimental to the development of a good hearted and  kind person. It breeds the "mean girl" syndrome. 

Nevertheless, I want to leave you with this jewel from LeeAnn Womack. Since the game was in the country music Capitol of the world...

I hope you never lose your sense of wonder,
You get your fill to eat but always keep that hunger,
May you never take one single breath for granted,
GOD forbid love ever leave you empty handed,
I hope you still feel small when you stand beside the ocean,
Whenever one door closes I hope one more opens,
Promise me that you'll give faith a fighting chance,
And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance.

I hope you dance....I hope you dance.

I hope you never fear those mountains in the distance,
Never settle for the path of least resistance
Livin' might mean takin' chances but they're worth takin',
Lovin' might be a mistake but it's worth makin',
Don't let some hell bent heart leave you bitter,
When you come close to sellin' out reconsider,
Give the heavens above more than just a passing glance,
And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance.

I hope you dance....I hope you dance.
I hope you dance....I hope you dance.
(Time is a wheel in constant motion always rolling us along,
Tell me who wants to look back on their years and wonder where those years have gone.)

I hope you still feel small when you stand beside the ocean,
Whenever one door closes I hope one more opens,
Promise me that you'll give faith a fighting chance,
And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance.

Dance....I hope you dance.
I hope you dance....I hope you dance.
I hope you dance....I hope you dance..
(Time is a wheel in constant motion always rolling us along
Tell me who wants to look back on their years and wonder where those years have gone)