The Cheesemiester

I am shamelessly proud of everyone in my life, especially when they accomplish something out of the ordinary. If you ask my family, they will sheepishly admit that even though I am small in stature, I have an enormous capacity to cheer on the people who I care about with the spirit of a giant. This does not stop at bloodlines. Oh no, if you enter my family as a friend, boyfriend of one of my girls, or any other way, I will cheer you on in everything that you do. I am the consummate cheerleader.

Hence my need to introduce my oldest angel's boyfriend, R. Like my daughter, R is an actor and as an actor, he auditions for shows, commercials, movies, anything that he can do to utilize his craft. You must imagine my excitement and pride the first time I witnessed R in his debut Pizza-Hut commercial! Of course my daughter was modest about her boyfriend's accomplishment(actors can be like that), and so, it wasn't until I witnessed it for myself that I realized, "Hey, R is on a nationwide television commercial for Pizza-Hut!", as I replayed it several times. The next time I saw it, I made my husband wait to watch the next important play of a football game, so that I could freeze R's spot in order to photograph it, frame by frame. Of course my daughter thought that I had lost my mind when my husband told her what I had done, but that was only until my husband got ahold of R's cellphone number and called him one morning. He left R a message saying that he really liked him and all, but that he was getting tired of waking up each morning at five a.m., turning on Sports Center, and seeing R's face on the TV! After that, I think that R suspected that my husband was nuttier than I am, so I was able to take cover within his shadows. I like when that happens.

Anyhow, if you happen to be watching TV sometime, and you see R being called a "Cheesemiester" by his television roommate, you too, can say, "Hey, I know that guy!", and cheer him on as one of your own. He is a gifted actor and a very, very nice guy.(He brought me flowers when he came over for dinner.)

Honestly, these kids work very hard at what they do, and every opportunity that they get to perform brings them closer to their dreams. I am often in awe at my angel daughter's ability to memorize extensive lines of Shakespeare, and then recite them back in a way that causes my heart to swell. Acting is truly a gift and with all of the negative press out there about young actors who are abusing their positions in the public eye, there are thousands of well-adjusted, talented, hungry, young people who are just waiting for the opportunity to take their craft seriously. Waiting to share their gifts with the world. Waiting to do so with style, grace, and modesty. In my opinion, it is time to knock some of the actors off of their pedestals who take advantage of being in the spotlight and who do not appreciate how blessed they are to be doing what they love. Acting is not only a job, but it is also a calling. I am glad to know that there are young people who are coming up the line, like R and my angel daughter, who take their abilities seriously.

May you always have a cheerleader rallying for you, as you move through all of the different phases of your life. May you stand behind those you love, singing their praises, and rooting for them as they follow their dreams. Life is not always easy, so if we can cheer each other on, the rough spots might seem just a little bit smoother.