I went into 7th grade like a lion (roar!), ready to achieve anything! I wanted to write and sing and act and I believed that I could. But, as often happens, reality hit hard. I learned real quick that my dream of becoming a writer was not a secure choice, it was a "hobby," and not something that should be pursued. During auditions for a school play I learned that if you don't look the part it doesn't matter how much heart you put into the acting. I realized just loving to sing isn't enough. I learned that kids can be cruel, and the desire to be accepted can sometimes destroy who you are. That was a hard year, my "friends" were rarely kind and often said cruel things, or left me out. And I let them.
So often we allow experiences like these affect our whole lives, unless we choose to learn from them. Really the thing that we should have learned is that sometimes we have to stand alone to fight for ourselves.
So what have YOU learned on your journey? I have learned that hard work and desire can take you a long way, that dreams can be realized in surprising ways, and that sometimes you need to leave people. More importantly I learned that the only thing that ensures failure is quitting, even if I feel last place.
