When I was a little girl, I aspired to be an actress. I loved to play make-believe with cousins and friends, years after others my age had moved on to presumably more mature activities.
From the age of five, I was allowed to stay up late with my mom to watch the Academy Awards, and I spent hours in front of the mirror practicing my acceptance speech. I finally got the opportunity to take the stage in middle school, when our fifth-grade class put on Anne of Green Gables.
I wanted to play Anne, of course, and was devastated when I was asked to play her foster mother, Marilla, instead. As I held back tears of disappointment, my teacher took me aside and whispered to me, "Oh my dear, any little girl can play Anne.
It takes a real actress to play Marilla." I went on to take acting lessons and even performed in one professional play before I gave up my dream for drugs. I've never returned to that dream, but I still might someday.
I'm sure there's some community theater that's just the right place for me. Downsized dreams can come true too.