When you were five, what did you want to be when you grew up?
When I was five or so I wanted to be famous. I used to sing to the neighbor kids using a jump rope handle. I wrote stories to include one about vampires when I was in kindergarten. I also wrote stuff you might see in the Bible at a very young age. It was so good people didn’t believe I wrote it. I had that dream for many years beyond being five! I liked to draw, write, sing and dance. My Mom used to read my stories and something she said always stuck with me, “You don’t have to be famous to be somebody.” Her saying that truly helped me keep things in perspective! She was so right!
I grew up in the late 60’s and early 70’s. We didn’t have The Voice or America’s Got Talent. We had stuff like Solid Gold – I loved the dancing and would try those moves in our living room when I had the house to myself which was quite often as my parents both worked a lot. The other thing I spent a lot of time doing was drawing my favorite musicians like David Bowie for example. I can remember spending hours on just one drawing.
My dream to become famous never happened. I’m glad about it as I don’t think I would have survived to the age I am now! I see what fame does to a lot of people and it’s not pretty most times! With how sensitive I’ve always been I would have been a wreck. I look at people like Michael Jackson, Prince and Chris Cornell to name just a few. Their fame was a source of severe anxiety and public scrutiny.
To be 
What is famous? Widely-known, honored for achievement, excellent, first-rate. I think you are all 3. Widely known through your achievement in service to our country. Not too many people can call themselves a veteran; let alone woman veteran. Your excellence is achieved through your works and influence on others (especially me early in my career). Don’t sell yourself short! You do mean something to others!
Lin!!! So good to hear from you. I was thinking of fame like we see in Hollywood but what you say here means a lot! What you say to define my value really means a lot to me. I remember our walks together and those days at Falcon (Falcatraz) lol. You made that time bearable. I love you girl! You are famous too – to me as a fellow female veteran and most of all a dear friend. Btw I accidentally deleted my phone contacts. Text me sometime so we can stay in touch.