When I was about 12 I wanted to be a model. Seventeen magazine was having a contest to find models and I was sure I could win. I've never been tall and at 4 foot nothing, I'm sure modeling was not in my future. But my Mom didn't tell me that. She took the pictures I needed and encouraged me to enter the contest. She always encouraged us to go after our dreams. It wasn't her place to tell us if our dreams were achievable or not, it was the world's place. Even if we didn't achieve our dreams, at least we tried. And we had no one to blame but ourselves when those dreams didn't come true.
Another dream I had was to work in graphic design. After spending 4 years getting an economics degree, I got a respectable job in DC working in defense contracting. I think my Mom was the only one who said, "Good for you" when I quit that job to chase after my graphics dream. Everybody else thought I was crazy especially since I quit without having another job lined up. She knew I would make it work because she raised us to be responsible for ourselves and to be true to who we are - whoever that turned out to be.
I didn't win that contest to become a model, but I did manage to work in the design industry (and I still do). Dreams come and go, but Moms are forever.
