“The size of your success is measured by the strength of your desire; the size of your dream; and how you handle disappointment along the way.” ~ Robert Kiyosaki
My mother was proud of my ‘bounce back’ attitude and I would usually move on to my next project and return my focus back to theatre. However, even there I had major disappointments. I, of course, wanted to be an actress and tried out for most of the shows, only never to be cast. Yep, this theatre major never had a ‘role’ in high school, but was always involved backstage, whether stage managing, or set construction, lights or publicity. It was not until college, that I was cast in my first production and had a hand full of roles I performed, but ironically, after college, my focus went back to being behind-the-scenes, and I am now perfectly happy there.
Did my failures shape who I am today? You bet, because I learned and grew from my experiences. Sure, there are things that still hurt and I wished I could change, but it just was not meant to be and there was another purpose.
As a mother, I found disappointment to be even more heart-wrenching when happening to my own child. You watch your child give their all, only to fall short of their goal. My oldest son participated in a royal court coordination last night for our county, representing his high school. He did a fine job, and I am proud of him for even trying, but when his name was not called, I could see the disappointment evident on his face as he stood there on the stage. I blinked back tears, because I knew this was rough for him; however, I hope he learned from the experience, although it will take time.
When introducing my son to the audience last night, I was asked to give three adjectives to describe him. I said, “He’s creative, sensitive, tall (I had to add an extra one) and has an amazing singing voice.” He may not how been selected to the court, but he’s a winner in my book.