Someone, please give me a chance.

Whenever I think of myself in the future, I can't imagine myself blending into society, feeling like I haven't accomplished anything great that I've wanted to do. Well, I mean I can imagine myself in this situation, it just hurts me to do so. Of all of the options that I feel like I have available to me to become, I don't find myself wanting any of them. I don't want to be a doctor, I don't want to be a business owner, I don't want to be that person that you never hear about. I've had a dream that once a spark, it had the opportunity to catch into a flame, but that fire was put out. Time and time again. What I really want to do, I feel is unreachable for a girl from Richmond with little money. I haven't even let myself see it as an option as I've been growing up, because it would sounds sadly cliché and is well out of my realm. With as much heart as I can say this with- I want to be an actor, on the silver screen. All I want is to be famous.

When I was eleven years old, I heard an ad on the radio for aspiring actors and models of all ages. A talent agency from Ohio was scouting local talent from my area to be represented at the national convention, AMTC (American Model and Talent Competition). Somehow, after begging my Mom to take me and my sister to audition, all three of us auditioned- and all three of us made the cut. We were told that we had "it". I had never been so excited and hopeful in my entire life up to that point. It was a very, very costly ordeal, and my family was struggling financially as it was- my Dad had just lost his job, we had to move and live in a little trailer from my past. We had practically no money, but through the love and support of family and friends the trip was made possible. We received training and had professional photo shoots to advertise ourselves to agents. The convention was held in Orlando, Florida. Thousands upon thousands of contestants were present to show the world what they had to offer. Hundreds of scouting agents were in attendance- modeling, commercial, movie, television- you name it. They were looking for people who had just the right glimmer for what they needed. This was the biggest thrill of my entire life. All I wanted to do was to be on TV. There was a time in the convention when the agents had stands set up, and contestants went around to agent's tables to market themselves. Later we would receive a list of agents that wanted us for their companies. When we got those lists, my heart was racing. I was to afraid that no one would want me. My sister and Mom had maybe one or two agents that had called them back. I looked at my sheet, and I had four agencies that wanted what I had to offer. No words could describe my excitement, the hope that I felt when I saw that list. I was actually good. I was going to be famous, my dream was turning into real life. I was absolutely glowing. I am also unable to describe my hurt, and anger, and anguish, when I was told by my mother that enlisting with an agent was expensive, and that there was absolutely no way that we could afford that. I was absolutely, completely, crushed. I was eleven years old, and I didn't really understand. I just thought it was unfair. I cried. Still to this day, I cry. I see young people, people that are my age, on TV and in movies and all I can seem to think to myself is "That could have been me". It hurts so badly to know that I could have been doing what I love if I had only been able to afford. I had the chance, then the chance was stolen away from me. In no way do I blame it on my family or anyone else, there's not much we could have done.

Now I am attending a college in my home town, knowing that I am getting a college degree for a job that I will maybe only be settling for. All I want is for someone to notice me again. I want to opportunity to go and put myself out there. But honestly, how would I do it? I am going to college, I am a host at a restaurant. I can't just run off and try to live somewhere like New York or Hollywood. I don't have the money. My self esteem hinders me from many things. I don't believe that I would be successful entirely. I need those who tell me that I can do exactly what it is that I want to do, that I can do anything. I don't know what I would do without them.  I am afraid that my whole life I will watch movies and just be dying on the inside because I never got the chance to know. To know, if given the right tools and resources, that I could have made it. I don't want to live with that lingering "what-if" my whole entire life. It's ripping me apart.

I had a chance, and I want that chance back.