Thursday, July 7, 2011

Let your light shine

 
Time to reach for the stars. But first... I should become a star

The events of these past few days have been, in a word - surreal. If my feet have not been firmly grounded (by my past humbling experiences and my parents' ubiquitous reminders), I would have already floated into the sky like a balloon... and popped.


***

I was in front of the mirror watching myself being "painted" with make-up and being fit into an ensemble fit for a queen.

Who is this person?

I couldn't even recognize her.

Then, I was sitting on a high chair, in front of a camera.
Voices were telling me to look up, down, left, and right.
Excellent! Beautiful!
Words that my ears were never really used to hear

It seemed like a dream. Everything felt unreal. I paused to take it all in (if I had the chance to pinch myself, I would have)... and yes, all of it was actually really happening. I was in the limelight. I was a star.

From mossy stone on the grass - a girl who spent most of her time walking very fast, alone, and unnoticed. Now, all eyes were on me.

Next thing I knew, I was watching myself on TV. I was speaking very confidently (not a trace of the girl who provided the class with their daily dosage of laughter, with her either babbling or snail-paced speech, and her mispronounced Bug's Bunny "r").

I have become Somebody. When I speak, people listen. When I walk along the halls, they see me. Whenever I end a speech, they applaud for me. When I wear something, they admire it.

I have become a very different person. But I vow to use this new "weapon" for good.

I have gone through all of the belittling experiences in my past, so that I would always keep a foot on the ground (and so I could understand others with the same plight and give them advice).

Myself as a living example, in some way, I shall serve to bring about hope... That nothing is impossible.

Others dream to reach for the stars. But my dream is to be able to inspire as many people as the stars in the sky.

Let your light shine, and be a blessing

***

So much to be thankful for. Truly, when it rains, it pours