It was the middle of a brutal summer and sweat stained my faded baseball pants as my brand new bat sat in my lap. I was never much of a hitter, but it was finally my time. I kicked the bat up with the toe of my scuffed up cleats and eyed the pitcher with precision.

“Ball 1.” My dad always told me never to swing at something unrealistic.

“Ball 2.” My dad always told me never to swing at something too high. The next ball came swinging down the middle, and I remembered the last thing my dad told me. “You'll know when it's the right one.” My bat and the ball connected as the metal sound rang over the bleachers. I was running! I had rounded my first base and then the second. I reached the last base, and I finally slid in to home! Although this memory seems so clear, I was only 5. It wasn't until many years after that burning July day that my parents told me that my legendary home run was actually nothing of the sort. I had rounded the bases in reverse order! I had failed my team, and unknowingly many fans. While this failure was something I was unaware of, it was was indeed a failure and one that, over the years, has provided me with numerous valuable life ­lessons.

“Never swing at something too unrealistic, never swing at something too high.” These words matched perfectly for the realm of baseball. As I grow more mature, I realize I have outgrown these words of advice for my career. I love the quote, “if your dreams don't scare you, you're not dreaming big enough.” Some chances are unrealistic, and some shots for my future may seem too high, but I would much rather live in a world of “oh wells” than “what ifs.” I know that the path I'm taking is for me, and that through the power of such impeccable programs I will have the opportunity to do such great things in the world of theatre. The notion of a career in theatre has the aura of disappointment and worry in Mississippi. I have been told many times that my choice is a mistake; that I am squandering my potential and knowledge on a career that doesn't use my abilities to their full potential. It's as if they're watching me run the bases in reverse order all over again. I know this to be true; I am going in the correct direction. My future ties in the things I love the most: knowledge, creativity and passion. So I start at the plate, and I'm prepping for the curve ball that is success. The bat is up and my eye is locked on the pitcher. “You'll know when it's the right one.”