Success

Since about my junior year of high school, my father and I have almost solely related with one another through practical, business terms: we are smart, hard-working, arrogant people, and we operate with the motive of proving ourselves and attaining success. So whenever I would visit my dad, the visit was always planned and usually related to business in some way: looking at a car problem, recording a voice-over, or dropping something by.


Yesterday I spoke with my dad on the phone from Tennessee, and at the end of the conversation, he told me just how proud he is of me and my progress, even if I haven't chosen the most lucrative profession. This compliment seemed a bit back-handed to me...is theater not good enough? At this point, I felt like my dad was discretely expressing some disappointment in my choice.

But then I remembered: my dad left pre-law in college to be a radio DJ.

So what does success really mean to my dad and I, when we put the pretenses of society aside? 
It means putting all of our various talents into practice and enjoying every minute of our work. For him, it's radio. For me, it's theater.

In American society and overwhelmingly at SMU, "success" comes down to money.

We are under a constant pressure to attain more and better stuff.

But at the end of the day, what does success mean to you? 
     Because to me it sure as hell doesn't mean sitting at a desk all day.