Never Give Up On Your Dreams

Once upon a time in the middle of winter, when the sky was overcast with shadows and ground was covered with snow, there lived a girl who was very fond of theatre. She took a theater class in her childhood, but she has remembered every single memory she had. That girl was me! When my alarm clock woke me up at eight o'clock in the morning, I had no idea that today would be the saddest day of my life.

Everyone played a role during the lesson, and my role was to be a snow white. I felt like a cork ready to burst from a bottle of champagne. My heart was pounding as I walked through the theater stage. It was such a thrill that I forgot the words of the drama. Even worse, my friend mocked me in front of every people in the class. ''You are the worst performer, but don't worry my friend. Instead of being a snow white, you can be a witch,'' he said, with sardonic eyes. His words were bullets to me. It was like a giant hole was pummeled into my chest. I started chewing on my lower lip and my tears escaped. It was the worst experience I have ever had.

From then on, all I could think was quitting theater class. I could never go into that class again because I felt cheap like thirty cents! While I was deep in thought at my home about what I should do, a gentle breeze wafted the scent of roses in through the open window. That smell... It's the 21st of January, 2009. My mother sits at her vanity, wearing make-up. The room smells of nasturtium, violets, and clove. ''Oh my beautiful girl! In life, you'll learn there are many things that are out of control,'' she says. I listen quietly and attentively. She continues, ''But, you have to just carry on. Remember, you can't have success without sacrifice. As the saying goes, no pain no gain.'' Her words made sense on that day. I didn't need to make big life decisions based on other people’s opinions, because it was my life. On another day, I attended theater class as if nothing had happened. It was one of the best decisions I have ever made.

As time goes by, the theater boosted my self-confidence and self-esteem. When I was thirteen years old, I took part in a theater contest. The Contest was held at the Istanbul State Theatre in the proscenium stage. It has an architectural frame. The scene is gently sloped rising away from the audience. My role was to be a cinderella on that magnificent stage. She was the fictional character of a folktale who has medium-length blonde hair and blue eyes. As it was my first participation, I jumped up and down and squealed with excitement! ''I believe in you. You were born ready, don't worry,'' my mother said softly. The encouragement that my mommy provided me rekindled the spark of self-confidence in me. Towards the end of elimination, my legs were trembling with excitement. ''The winner goes to...'' words made my day! I couldn't believe my ears when I got called on stage as a winner. The feeling of winning was like being on top of the world. I won the chance to meet superstars! If I hadn't listened to my mother, I wouldn't have had any of these good memories. It left me one important lesson: nothing was going to hand itself to me. As William Penn puts it, “no pain, no palm, no throne; no fall, no glory, no cross, no crown.''