I was hesitant about being in a room full of 18/19 year olds and adult strangers that I didn't know. Her Mom, an AMAZING soprano, assured me that there was nothing to worry about and that I'd have fun. In normal Leo-style, I was myself and realized there was nothing to worry about since most of these kids would've been my friends in high school. They were the theatre crowd. The Drama Dorks, And boy, did it feel good to be able to dork out singing to karaoke tracks of hit songs from Wicked, Chicago and RENT.
These kids are super-talented. I liked glancing at each of them every so often and imagining who they'll be when they're my age. Four of the kids stood out to me as being determined to reach their dreams...even if they didn't know what they were yet. There was Lauren, the guest of honor at the party. She has a beautiful voice and is an awesome actress. Then there was Taylor, who's singing is effortless and not to mention she's cute as a button. The boy of the bunch is Blake. He has that infectious type of personality that'll win him friends as well as fans. Finally, Autumn, with her beautiful face and statuesque frame. Immediately, my mind went to all of the photo shoot scenarios I could put her in and I prayed that I had just found my new muse. Seriously, this girl excudes Old Hollywood Glamour. She can't help it!
I told myself that if presented with the opportunity, I'd find a way to have a "shoulda-coulda-woulda" talk with them. I really wanted to impart the wisdom of making the right choices when you're in the thick of it. I let them know how important getting your education is and how staying focused is really the key to finishing school.
Looking back at my life, there are so many things I'd do differently if presented with the same choices. A lot of the harmful circumstances in my life came as a result of choices I'd made thinking of other people and not of myself. So, I felt like I needed to let them know to think about what they want for their lives before thinking of what others might want for them. For example, my Dad wanted me to be an Opera Singer, Mom wanted be to be a recording artist. I want/ed to be an actor...singer...writer.
My point is to follow your own path. I spent years adhering to what others thought was best for me instead of trusting my instinct which was telling me what I was good at, what I'd excel in and what I'd succeed at. How did I go from being a Music Major with a 2.5 GPA to a Theater Arts Major on the Dean's List and not realize this was the Universe's way of saying "SING OUT, LOUISE!" Nothing has ever moved me like the power of music and theater. When the right actor meets the magic note voiced through the perfect lyric, life is created. I was on the right path, I just needed to pay closer attention!
A great example of someone who follows their own path is my sister. When she was little, she'd mentioned wanting to be a lawyer and she was a terrific gymnast. But at some point in her seconday education, she decided she wanted to be an account. Now she's a junior accountant at a successful accounting firm that has wine tastings for people's birthdays and celebrated the end of tax season with a margarita party. Her path led her to what she was good at and would succeed in.
It all boils down to how hard you're willing to work for it. What will it take to make you want it enough to work that much harder for it. Less than 10 years ago, I was working my butt off, going from show to rehearsal to show to rehearsal, literally living my dream. I was given the opportunity to stay on with a local musical theatre company and decided not to. Today, that company has grown and takes very good care of their actors. I made the wrong choice. I wasn't patient enough to wait for the spotlight to come to me, I wanted to go to it. That's not how it works. All we can do is set the stage, be prepared and be ready for when the spotlight comes to us.
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