"Dear Amy, I must write a special letter and thank you for the dream in the bottle," wrote Roald Dahl, one of the most beloved fiction writers of our century, to a seven year old girl deeply inspired by his work. Countless artists, celebrities, and everyday people express their gratitude and credit their success to those who motivated them enough to encourage a full-fledged transformation of self. Thank you's are commonly dispersed expressions of acknowledgement and appreciation. Derived from the English word "think," "thank you" originally meant, "I will remember what you did for me." That being said, I would like to voice my undying appreciation to the abundance of doubt and criticism I have received throughout the course of my life. I truly could not have discovered myself without you.

I am not a mathematician by any means. That is why I cannot begin to calculate the colossal number of times the words "you can't" were unwarrantedly uttered by someone who believed to have understood the extent of my abilities; it would be a tedious counting game. I, like many others, would consider myself a student incapable of fitting the "star student" mold. Teachers and professors often describe "good" students as diligent listeners, those who consistently ask questions, and those who work hard with the knowledge that "learning isn't fun." According to those characteristics, I am considered a terrible student. Harsh as it may seem, being considered an unideal student is not something I have not heard before. As a distractible, doodling, daydreamer, my grades fluctuate more frequently than the weather in the Midwest.

In the most unconventional of ways, I discovered a newfound perception of the world and what I deemed important, which may not have been explored had I not skipped a few (OK, maybe more than a few) classes in high school to walk in the park with friends or daydream surrounded by warm spring grass. Otherwise, I would have not understood the importance of social justice, nature, literature, or the human mind had I not switched my major three (yes, three) times in college. I would not have obtained the job I most desired if I had not ignored, rather than listened, to my advisor who politely reminded me of the "kind of undergraduate students organizations like that usually hire." Most importantly, I would not have had to be as persistent and ambitious with my goals to prove my capabilities to others and to myself if I was not told that I "couldn't."

So I must write a special letter and thank you for the dream in the bottle that once served as untapped potential. The bottle has been opened. The dream is not floating free, potential and all, as am I.

Thank you for doubting me.