When people hear that I am Ms. Rhode Island Senior 2014, but I live in Arizona, they are understandably confused. In order for you to understand how this could be, I need to tell you the story - the whole story - and from the very beginning.
In the Beginning.....
I just wanted to be able to share the art of Flamenco dance with women my own age (over 50). As we age, we need more things that will challenge us to move forward instead of staying in one place. Flamenco dance is a very empowering art form and does wonders for maintaining mental and physical well-being. So I set about the task of networking (the best tool for whatever you need done) to find a way to reach more women my own age.
I was fortunate to have a wonderful virtual assistant whom I had been introduced to through another networking group (W.I.S.K., Women I Should Know). I explained my mission to her and her response was "I know the perfect person - she is involved with the Ms. Senior Arizona Pageant, a Pageant for women over 60. Wow! Great, I thought - a perfect connection. So she set up a meeting between me and the then-Director of the Ms. Senior Arizona Pageant. After explaining my mission to the Director, she said, "I think you should dance in the Pageant." Now, having once been a panel judge for the Ms. Sr. Texas Pageant and performing during intermissions at that pageant, I thought that I would again be performing during the intermission at the Ms. Senior Arizona Pageant. I said, "Great, during intermission, right?" She said, "Oh no, you will be entering the Pageant." I almost fell out of my chair. Me? In a Pageant? I could never, in a million years, imagine me in a Pageant.
I was fortunate to have a wonderful virtual assistant whom I had been introduced to through another networking group (W.I.S.K., Women I Should Know). I explained my mission to her and her response was "I know the perfect person - she is involved with the Ms. Senior Arizona Pageant, a Pageant for women over 60. Wow! Great, I thought - a perfect connection. So she set up a meeting between me and the then-Director of the Ms. Senior Arizona Pageant. After explaining my mission to the Director, she said, "I think you should dance in the Pageant." Now, having once been a panel judge for the Ms. Sr. Texas Pageant and performing during intermissions at that pageant, I thought that I would again be performing during the intermission at the Ms. Senior Arizona Pageant. I said, "Great, during intermission, right?" She said, "Oh no, you will be entering the Pageant." I almost fell out of my chair. Me? In a Pageant? I could never, in a million years, imagine me in a Pageant.
I live by the quote, "I run my own race, I am in competition with no one. I have no desire to play the game of being better than anyone, in any way, shape or form. I just aim to improve, to be better than I was before. That's me, and I'm free."
When I explained to the Director my feelings about competing, she quickly set me straight. This particular Pageant was not about competing with others, it was about competing with yourself. She said this was a sisterhood of amazing women, and that being involved in the Pageant would change my life. (Sure, I thought. But why not, my goal was to introduce women my own age to the art of Flamenco, and here was my opportunity, although not exactly the opportunity I had planned. So I said "OK."
"The Universe gives you exactly what you need exactly when you need it."
Surprise! You Win!
Me and my husband, Ricardo de Cristobal, who was just stunned - you see, I had not told him I was even entering the Pageant - I had entered as part of my own journey. I invited him that evening to what he thought was an event I choreographed for!
Well, the Pageant DID change my life. I found myself on a more meaningful journey than simply introducing women my age to Flamenco. found myself on a path of inspiring and encouraging women to go from Victim to Victorious. And the women I met in the Pageant introduced ME to a whole new path in my life;s journey.
I won the talent trophy (for Flamenco dance, of course!) - I was able to complete my mission of sharing Flamenco with women my own age (and many more of all ages in the audience). But..... I also won 2nd place for the title of Ms. Sr. Arizona 2012. You could have knocked me over with feather!
A fun experience ..but talk about surprises - it didn't stop there.
I won the talent trophy (for Flamenco dance, of course!) - I was able to complete my mission of sharing Flamenco with women my own age (and many more of all ages in the audience). But..... I also won 2nd place for the title of Ms. Sr. Arizona 2012. You could have knocked me over with feather!
A fun experience ..but talk about surprises - it didn't stop there.
Play it Again, Sam!
Being thrilled at having won the Talent Trophy, and still stunned about the 2nd place title, I thought I could now move ahead with my "normal" life and get back to business - teaching and performing. Not. The day after the Pageant I started getting phone calls from people (mostly NOT friends and family) that said, "Linda, you need to enter again in next year's Pageant." And not just a few calls, enough calls to stop and make me actually think about it. It was great fun, and I really loved the ladies who were now my new "sisters." But enter again??? I am not a professional pageant contestant - I have other things in mind for my life.
Well, I received SO much "encouragement" bordering on insistence that I said, ok, why not! So, fast forward, an almost instant replay of the previous year. Again, I won 2nd place for the title of Ms. Sr. Arizona 2013 and a trophy my Philosophy of Life. I didn't think too much about the 2nd place title, but I was incredulous that I had won Philosophy of Life. This was a real eye-opener for me as to how my life's journey might be changing and how pageants "sorta" work.
Well, I received SO much "encouragement" bordering on insistence that I said, ok, why not! So, fast forward, an almost instant replay of the previous year. Again, I won 2nd place for the title of Ms. Sr. Arizona 2013 and a trophy my Philosophy of Life. I didn't think too much about the 2nd place title, but I was incredulous that I had won Philosophy of Life. This was a real eye-opener for me as to how my life's journey might be changing and how pageants "sorta" work.
Just When You Thought It Was Safe to......
Oh no.....the "encouraging" phone calls again. In fact, they were insistent. Twice as many than last time, and from people VERY "well-connected" to the Pageant circle. They said "Linda, you absolutely must be in the National Pageant, you and your talent are worthy of a being a national finalist," etc. etc. etc. Well, ok, but if I can't ever win the state pageant (see, I had come to the realization by now that there was no way on Earth I would ever win at the state level), how could I possibly compete on a national level???
These "well-connected" people enlightened me to the "at-large" opportunity available where I could represent a state that did not have a pageant. Again stunned, not ever having been involved in a pageant, I said "you're kidding??? Nope - they were not. So I was guided through the process of becoming a contestant "at-large" for my family home state of Rhode Island. I had, overnight, become Ms. Senior America Rhode Island. That was a joy in itself because of how much I loved Rhode Island as a child and felt that it was calling me back home.
These "well-connected" people enlightened me to the "at-large" opportunity available where I could represent a state that did not have a pageant. Again stunned, not ever having been involved in a pageant, I said "you're kidding??? Nope - they were not. So I was guided through the process of becoming a contestant "at-large" for my family home state of Rhode Island. I had, overnight, become Ms. Senior America Rhode Island. That was a joy in itself because of how much I loved Rhode Island as a child and felt that it was calling me back home.
Original Goal? Met and .....Surpassed!!
"They" were right, Here I am (far right) as a Top 10 Finalist in the 2014 Ms. Senior America Pageant in Atlantic City, NJ.
