SEASON 1 – EpiBLOG 1:
Well, what can I say? This is my journey. I’m sharing it in the hopes that it will impact another person’s life for the better. They say there’s no new story under the sun. Basically, that every story that’s been written, uttered, projected, and illustrated has been created already. However, I’m not seeking originality or to get “sun-burned” by the efforts of looking for something that’s not there. Instead, my quest is to be real. Authenticity finds me like a magnet finds iron. What you will find with me is MY truth. Having created a movie on an important part of my life helped usher me into my own, so I don’t know any other way than to be authentic. By the very name of this blog, I assume that you’re looking to learn something from me, which is great. I love to teach.
The UnCloseted Professor is a blog about my life experiences from my early years as a kid to my rise as a respected Educator and Filmmaker. Because I’m a filmmaker, I’ve decided to divide the blogs between Seasons and each blog post will be referred to as an “epiBLOG” as if it were a written episode within a series. Trust me… just roll with it. ☺ Through telling the raw and unadulterated versions of my past and current failures and victories, I’m seeking to share my LIFE LESSONS with you through each epiBLOG. I’m hoping that by not holding anything back from you, you can gain something to enhance your life even more so because I’m being real. Each epiBLOG comes with a lesson and an OPTIONAL FUN ASSIGNMENT. So, follow along each week… and look forward to the time when you can binge-READ all you want.
Now…
I can talk to you about my failures as a wife – or my numerous triumphant moments thereof. I can talk about my failures as a filmmaker – or the times that I’ve been hired to write scripts and treatments, or when my feature length film Running on Empty Dreams secured distribution. I can talk to you about what it felt like to have a student run out of my classroom because of her fear of public speaking was so overwhelming that the energy to produce words out of her mouth found its only source of movement through her feet. And I can turn around and tell you how that same student in my Speech Class worked her behind off and trusted my guidance, and now has the courage to speak in front of groups of people. I can talk… or better yet… I can write…
I can write to you about what it was like to “come out” at 33 to my parents, have my film released at Blockbuster, get a divorce, and receive my Master’s degree in Education all within the same calendar year. I can write about a lot. And I will. I’ve learned so much during the times of my failures, but understand that I desperately needed the victories that came around certain corners because they gave me the strength to continue to say “maybe tomorrow” during the times of failure.
It frustrates me when people who have achieved success have the nerve to tell those who haven’t to keep holding on without so much as a glimmer of hope being shined in the latter’s path. Small victories have to take place within the interim of working towards your bigger goals. Those small victories rejuvenate the tired mind and spirit in order for the bigger goals to be achieved. For example, the bigger goal in high school is to one day receive the high school diploma at the end of the 4 year period. In the interim, students have 4 academic years, several classes, several tests, assignments, and reports. Not to mention, extracurricular activities such as sports, JROTC, theater, band, speech & debate, etc. There are several opportunities for victories with receiving good grades and for standing out in extracurricular activities. In other words, there are enough chances for victories along the path of working towards receiving the high school diploma that keep students rejuvenated enough to not be so fixated on the piece of paper that they’re awarded at the end. The goal remains important, but it doesn’t take over the student’s life to the point of losing the joy that’s directly in front of him or her.
Small victories make it a whole lot easier to continue to say “maybe tomorrow” when the goal seems so far away or challenging to reach.
In the “maybes” lays hope, and in hope lays just enough inspiration to make great things happen! The LESSON today is to always continue to say “maybe tomorrow” when things don’t exactly go your way today.
FUN ASSIGNMENT: Write down your dreams and the reason it’s important for you to accomplish them.
RECOMMENDATIONS: Running On Empty Dreams (DVD), The Magic of Thinking Big by David J. Schwartz, Ph.D.
Read EpiBLOG 2: Endings Are Beginnings >>
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