GGB Goes to Girls Inc...I’d be a liar if I said that my childhood dream was to be a writer. While some kids have a strong sense of direction, my career paths were always fleeting, varying month to month. The exception? A year-long period when I wanted to be the Little Mermaid.
As I got older, I realized that it wasn’t the things I wanted to be when I was younger that had stuck with me. Instead, it was the things I was exposed to through my childhood education that I found the most compelling. At home, my parents had constantly read to me. Forcing me to fall in love with worlds and people outside the comfort of my suburban life. In elementary school, we had a special art class once a week. This exposed me to new ideas and outlets for creative expression. And as the looming date of entering college drew near, I realized that I had a choice: be a writer or an artist?
Initially, I made the wrong decision. I suffered through three painful years of art college. Eventually, I realized that I was not suited for the visual arts. Since I was still writing diligently in my journal, I decided to execute Plan B and pursue a degree in literature.
GGB Goes to Girls Inc.
Girls Inc. Nashua, NH
Recently, a dear friend of mine began working with Girls Inc. in Nashua, NH. The organization was formed in 1945. They help girls in communities worldwide. Providing them with an environment in which the tools and encouragement to succeed are present. To this end, Girls Inc. in Nashua has a career week each year. Professionals discuss their careers and share their experiences on how they achieved their current positions. Since my friend is the nicest person in the world, I couldn’t refuse her when she asked if I’d volunteer. Basically, share some time and my experiences with her girls.
Writing Food Descriptions
Equipped with our delicious popcorn, I went to Nashua and chatted with the girls about how I got to where I am. We tried the popcorn and began to brainstorm sensory adjectives, attempting to describe how the snack tasted, felt, the noises it made when we ate it, and what it smelled like – the basis for writing food descriptions. With each group of girls, new and inventive ways of describing the popcorn were discovered, helping prove that creativity spawns creativity.
Dare to Dream
Although my hour of fame with these girls was fleeting, I am moved by the thought that I may have inspired them to think beyond the confines of their circumstances and to dream as my parents and 1-hour art lessons allowed me to do.
While my romantic tendencies lead me to fantasize that all the girls I see will one day become best-selling writers, I hope that some of them will change the way they view food labels. Perhaps one or two of them will begin writing their thoughts in a journal, and who knows where that will lead?
But most importantly, I hope that they are inspired to live their dreams. That they can always change their mind. And after all, there is a full-time Little Mermaid at Disney Land, and organizations like Girls Inc. are applauded for providing opportunities to girls that prove that even outlandish dreams are never impossible.
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