The Atlanta Dream is pleased to announce that Lauren Green, a freshman at Tucker High School, is the winner of the 2009 "Living the Dream" essay contest. Dream center Chantelle Anderson surprised Lauren with a visit to her school on February 26, during which she presented Lauren with the grand prize... a Nintendo Wii. Please join us in congratulating Lauren! The Dream would also like to recognize the two runner-up winners: Nia Covington (Carver School of Technology) and Mikayla Moreau (Evans Middle School).
"Living the Dream..."
by Lauren Green
Dreams are simply a series of mental images or emotions that occur during sleep, but maybe they could be more. Maybe they are the inspiration to drive you into a passion. A passion that you want more than you can handle. You know once you grasp it; the only thing that can let you fail now is yourself. You’re living the life as some call it. What I’d say is living my dream...
Numerous people think that living the dream is living the best that the world can offer. From sport cars to diamond earrings, Coach handbags to Gucci watches, and name brand jeans to magnificent shoes... when did living the dream have to be so expensive? Living the dream should be something you want or like to do- but not for the fame or money... You should be content with what you are doing, but not if it is making just yourself satisfied. It should affect others in a positive way, too.
I truly try to make a difference in my small town where I live. My favorite sport is soccer and teamwork is the key to its engine. I might not get along with a few teammates, but at the end of the day, that support is always there and it is proven with the outcome on the field.
In school, it is a little harder to make a change. My school is so diverse and submerged with other ideas that are sometimes hard to view another, so the easiest way is to listen. Listening to people's views, ideas, and thoughts help you understand the basic structure of that person. Listening to someone’s plan for the future makes them know that they aren’t alone, that others have that same feeling of wonder- Am I going to make it? Little changes are sometimes overlooked, but make the biggest impact on someone’s life. You must keep in mind that you cannot just dream the dream- YOU MUST LIVE IT!
What I would like to achieve when I grow older is becoming a chef. Not a five-star chef or an always-on-TV-one either. I just want to be a chef known for my food. If people are happy with what they consume, then I am happy with what I am. The only thought I will have at the end of the day is if I can do better. If I cannot think of any way to improve my taste or quality of the dish- then I know I’ve outdone myself and that feeling is priceless.
Living the Dream is knowing that you did your best. You might not have made it to the top of the list and got the most awards, but finishing what you decided to start makes all the difference. Quitting makes the distance. The distance that gets longer and wider as the years advance. So you either start to live now, or wait to live later and by then, later might be never.
