Because my mother said not even the sky was my limit…

“Listen to the mustn’ts, child.  Listen to the don’ts.  Listen to the shouldn’ts, the impossibles, the won’ts.  Listen to the never haves, then listen close to me… Anything can happen, child.  Anything can be.”
-Shel Silverstein

she just couldnt…

stop…

laughing.

Photographs by Conor Leslie 2007

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know
I think I can

by conor leslie

Once upon a time there was a Little Boy with Big Blue eyes who wanted to be an Astronaut and fly to the moon. So he started reading Astronomy Books. One day he went to show his mother a model of Mars that he had made.

“You can’t go into space, it’s too dangerous and hard,” said his mother.

(He looked at the model and threw it out.)

The Little Boy then decided he wanted to be a football player. He carried a football everywhere with him, practicing his grip.

“You can’t be a football player, you’re not strong or fast enough,” said his mother.

(He looked at the football and put it in the garage.)

The Little Boy then decided he wanted to be a painter.  He brought his father a painting of the ocean.

“You can’t be a painter, they don’t make enough money,” said his father from behind his desk.

(He put the painting in the trash with a sigh.)

The Little Boy then decided he wanted to be a guitar player and singer. He went to sing a song he wrote to his father.

“You can’t be a singer, you need to have a stronger voice,” said his father.

(The Little Boy just went back to his room and stared out the window. What could he be when he grew up? Ah! Yes! )

“I’ll be an actor!” the little boy said with glee.

“You can’t be an actor, less than 15% of them are employed,” said his mother over dinner.

So the Little Boy grew up and went to school, went to college and got a job. But the Little Boy lost ideas of what he wanted, and settled for a job that could fill his days, and pay the bills.

(Only now, his Blue eyes were Grey.)

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Once upon a time, there was a Little Girl with Big Green eyes who wanted to be an Astronaut and fly to the moon.  She started reading Astronomy books.  One day she went to show her Mom a model of Mars that she had made.

“You can go to Mars, Pluto and the Moon!” said her mother.

(that night the Little Girl looked up from her bed and saw her mom had put glow in the dark stars on her ceiling.  She smiled, and went to sleep.)

Then the Little Girl decided she wanted to be a Tennis Player.  She walked around the house bouncing two tennis balls at once, one in each hand.

“You could hit that tennis ball from here to the Moon if you wanted to,” said her mother.

(that night there was a new tennis racquet on the Little Girl’s bed, and the Little Girl practiced her swing all night.)

Then the Little Girl decided she wanted to be a painter.  She brought her father a painting of the ocean.

“You are the next Picasso-what pretty colors,” said her father, swinging the Little Girl onto his lap.

(that night, there was a new paint set and easel in the Little Girl’s room.  She painted till her hands hurt.)

Then the Little Girl decided she wanted to be a guitar player and singer.  She went to sing a song she wrote to her father.

“You should go make room on your shelf for your Grammy,” said her loving father.

(that night, a brand new guitar was lying on the Little Girl’s bed.  She beamed, and sat on that bed all night, strumming off-key notes till sleep arrived, and once again, she dreamed.)

The next day, the Little Girl stared out the window, not sure if she still wanted to be any of those people. What could she be when she grew up? Ah! Yes!

“I’ll be an actress!” the Little Girl said with glee.

“You’ll be the next Meryl Streep,” said her mother over dinner.

…And when the Little Girl who became a Little Woman collected her Oscar, her eyes glistened.

(Only now, her Green eyes were Emerald.)

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I believe I can do whatever I put my mind to because when I was little, my mom bought me a guitar to be a singer (even though my voice is not exactly angelic).  She bought me an easel when I wanted to be an artist.  She got me a puppy veterinarian set when I wanted to be a vet, a journal and pen when I wanted to be a writer and she drove me back in forth (along with 2 younger brothers) to the city on my castings when I started out modeling & acting. Never even questioned it or tried to push me onto another path. It all goes back to the parents; children need to be shown a path.  They need to be told “Yes you can” not “No you can’t” and they need water, sunlight, and love in order to grow.  It’s what makes Whole Adults, and if those Whole Adults were taught that they have no limitations, and that dreams come true, what do you think they’ll teach their children? And a beautiful cycle will begin.