THE BUCK STOPS HERE!!!!

Have you ever heard the saying that people who hit the lottery tend to go through feelings of guilt? I have. Do you want to know what I think when I read those stories? Its probably nothing different than what anyone else would think. I say to myself, "If I ever hit the lottery for millions of dollars, I am sure I will feel alot of things, but I am almost certain none of them WOULD BE GUILT!
Hmmmm. No? Are you sure? Now stay with me. I know its the holidays and you are probably still stuck on what you could do with a million, or millions, of dollars, but I do have a story to tell.
Let me explain to you where I am right now with this "acting business". I am an actor. I do things that actors, or anyone who has a dream and any type of talent they believe in, would do. I take a lot of acting classes (some free and some wayyyy from free). I do alot of auditions, volunteer for alot of plays,  and network with alot of people. Some of my efforts move me a notch closer to living my dreams, and sometimes, well, I mean, there is a learning experience in everything I do. (Two steps forward, one step back my nana used to say, or was that Ms. Chancelor from Young & The Restless?) Anyway. I am okay with that. I am okay with working hard, praying hard, losing sleep and sometimes not having time to eat. What I am not okay with is others trying to make me feel guilty.
Now understand that when I say others for the most part I don't look to anyone to "give" me anything. I expect the occasional "naysayer", and where would my motivation be without a "hater" or two. (I hate the word hater, but its typed so lets move on). What I don't like is when "certain people" who have never even so much as taken the time to acknowledge anything else in my life be it good or bad, that now feel the need to directly or indirectly make me feel like I owe them or anyone else something because I am "chasing a dream" and having fun doing it.
First it started with the guilt trip inbox's on Facebook. Then it started with the guilt trip phone calls. At one time, it was a little bit of both (sometimes form the same people). It had gotten to the point where I even considered changing my cell number (a good friend talked me out of that one)! I notice that the more acting work I do that gives me more "exposure" the louder the "guilt trippee's" get.
Well, no more guilt trips! Absolutely NO MORE! I am a giver from the heart. My time, my home, my money, but I will not be backed into feeling like I owe anyone anything when it comes to chasing my own success. I sweat the blood and cry the tears. I take the gains and the losses. At the end of the day I want to be a blessing but on Gods terms and no one else's. So here's a toast to you guilt trippers, I know you are reading this, its not happening! Not today! Not tomorrow! Not ever! My dream, my goals, my talent on my terms. This is acting and ACTING IS "MY" BUSINESS!