Posts Tagged ‘fame’

A few years ago my extended family added some new members. At a family event I was introduced to some new friends and their children. As the day progressed we all took the time to start up a conversation and see if we had anything in common with a new acquaintance. I was seated at a table with a young girl, maybe eight or ten years old. She was very animated and enjoying herself. Not the shy type she was easily engaged in a conversation. We went through the pleasantries of what’s your name, what grade are you in and so forth. I was curious if she had any special interests and I asked her if she knew what she wanted to be when she grew up. Without batting an eyelash she looked me right in the eyes and said she was “going to be famous”. Wow, I thought. She must have some talent or skill or intellectual gift that she’s been honing. How else do you become famous?

The conversation continued to be light and interesting so I asked her how she would become famous. In my mind I was thinking that she must sing like an angel, or be a devout student of dance. Perhaps she had artistic skills that I could talk to her about. Maybe she was a brain. How wonderful to chat with a precocious future academic. I was a bit taken back when she admitted that she didn’t actually know how she would become famous. In her mind – it would just happen. It was inevitable. She was so fantastic that the world would seek her out, lift her up for all to see, and she would be the talk of the town. Wow, I thought to myself. Where does this come from? How can a young girl be so delusional about life? Her life. Read the rest of this entry »