Live Your Dream

Last night I had the thrill of watching my wonderful friend Megan Ketch in a guest staring role on CBS TV’s Blue Bloods.  Megan was Carter’s baby sitter for five years and became a very important member of our family.  As Megan was graduating from high school she started as Carter’s Nanny and continued all her years through UNC.  Megan had a singular dream of becoming an actress.  She was a drama major at Chapel Hill and we had the pleasure of going to all her college performances.

Carter was a fixture at the Paul Green and the Kenan theaters when she was two to four often accompanying Megan to rehearsals.  I can remember walking down Franklin Street with Carter when she was about three and having some college boy scream, “Hello Carter,” from across the street.  When I asked her who he was Carter said, “Oh, he’s Hamlet with Megan.”

After UNC Megan moved to New York City to pursue her dream.  She went to NYU’s prestigious graduate program in acting and graduated last year.  Today she is a working actress.  Her role as Detective Kate opposite Donnie Wahlberg on Blue Bloods will run for a few more weeks, but I will predict is just the beginning for Megan.

Megan had a dream that started in fourth grade when she wrote a play about Harriet Tubman casting herself as the lead role with little care that she was white.  Becoming an actor is not an easy job, but that never deterred Megan.

After leaving North Carolina Megan found other families whose children she would care for and love as she was learning her craft.  It has been many years of hard work but that is what someone who is passionate does.  Hard work is what it takes to achieve success, especially in something as hard and competitive as acting.

Megan has the advantage of having a wonderful family who believes in her, is emotionally supportive and a large number of friends and ardent admirers, but she still has to do the work.  Megan is an inspiration to me all the time.

I tell you this story because I want you to think about what your dream is and consider how close you might be to attaining it.  We all have dreams, but most people don’t really think they can reach theirs.  Megan is proof that you can.  So dust off that dream if you have left it on a shelf for a while.  Make a plan about how you might make it come true and take a baby step or two towards it.

And watch out for Megan Ketch, no matter what she does in her life she is an inspiration.