Recently, I had the privilege of reading Drew Barrymore's memoir, titled “Wildflower.” When I first picked up this novel, I had no idea the impact Barrymore’s life would have on me and how much of an inspiration she is not only to me, but can be for other individuals.
Barrymore started acting at an early age, and most of you probably know her as Gertie in "E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial." She was forced into acting by her mother, but the two did not have a typical mother-daughter relationship, which led to Barrymore petitioning to be emancipated at the age of 15. It was very inspiring to learn about how Barrymore became an adult so young but was able to triumph over the various hardships that surfaced in her life.
I know that when I was 15, I would not have been able to not only take care of myself, but also have financial obligations. She made herself get a job at a coffee shop (which she walked to due to not having a license or car). Furthermore, she went to libraries and obtained books to teach herself and learn about various subjects to gain knowledge since she was not enrolled in any type of school.
However, one of Barrymore’s major accomplishments, and what inspired me the most, is her success in developing and launching her own film company, Flower Films. A lot of Barrymore’s accomplishments were achieved when she was the same age as I am now, some even younger. This made me analyze my own life and accomplishments, and to be honest, I began to feel a little unsuccessful.
I know I’m only 19, but when I compared myself to Barrymore, it was hard to avoid these feelings. The author surrounded herself with inspiring people who had similar career goals to hers, and together they were able to make a successful company, which led to numerous movie deals for Barrymore, such as "The Wedding Singer," "Charlie’s Angels," and "50 First Dates."
Drew Barrymore did not have the traditional family upbringing -- she had almost no parental guidance -- but was able to maneuver throughout her life and form bonds and relationships that one would typically have growing up. Aside from her accomplishments in terms of her career, Barrymore put her time and energy into other aspects, such as visiting and starting her own school in Africa. Some people think that celebrities do nice things in order to gain more publicity and to give themselves a good reputation, but after reading Barrymore’s article and learning about the type of person she has molded herself into being, readers can conclude that that is not the case.
I would encourage everyone to read this book because there is so much one can learn from it. Drew Barrymore’s novel inspired me and is pushing me to make sure that I am always dedicating time and effort into every aspect of my life, not just my career.
