Sometimes, I look back on my life and think about things I could have accomplished if I had pursued acting as a child. I could have been in movies and television series and been famous and traveled the world. Maybe. Probably not.
I think of kids who grow up in the spotlight and how they've turned out. They had so much attention. They had a bit of fun, but a lot of hard work and situations that demanded they be adults rather than children. They had to work hard and be on their best behavior.
I was not a well behaved kid. I was a great teenager, but as a kid I was a mess. So it's probably a good thing few people saw me face plant a plate of ice cream at a birthday party when I was nine. Or shudder as I wore giant rainbow t-shirts when I was ten. I'm glad no one other than my guy friends freaked out when I turned twelve and morphed into a fifteen year old. I was free as a teenager to crush hopelessly and pathetically after shaggy haired musicians and dancers. No one recorded the flippant remarks, shallow jokes, or clever comebacks that were so well worded but not always kind.
I have had the freedom to grow and learn at my own pace, without fear of inflicting the wrath of social media. I only piss people off in small numbers and in person. It works pretty well for me.
