When I Was a Child...

Marilyn Mosley blog

April 24, 2009

When I Was a Child...

When I was a child, my great passion was acting and dance. I took ballet classes from the time I was five. By age ten, I was riding the train alone from Brooklyn into New York City, so I could study acting and dance at the Henry Street Settlement. At twelve, I auditioned twice for the Broadway show, The Sound of Music, played bit parts in The World of Henry Orient, and participated in a Seventeen Magazine shoot. By fifteen, I had an agent and was going on auditions. I was focused; I was determined; and I was doing this all on my own. My parents certainly supported my aspirations, but child actors and dancers were less common than today. There were no home study options for children.

One day, my parents called me in for a serious conversation. It was clear I was moving in a direction that made them uncomfortable. So they told me I had to choose between acting and my education. From their perspective, there was really only one option – my education. That was a sad day for me. I felt my hopes and dreams were being crushed and I had no options, no choices. That day was the end of my pursuit of an acting career.

Today, I’m writing this blog enroute to the Easter Bowl Tennis Tournament. Over 70 of our students will be competing at the important event. Amber Walker and I will be there to support them, cheer them on, discuss their education, and give them a hug and even a stuffed animal with a Laurel Springs tee shirt. I’m grateful these students can follow their passions and don’t have to choose between education and tennis. I’m glad they can go to Laurel Springs School. What a wonderful day this is! I’m so grateful to have helped create an educational option for students that lets them follow their dreams.

Marilyn Mosley blog

When I Was a Child...

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