I remember when I was younger all I ever dreamed about was becoming an artist when I grow up. I used to collect blank folders, and I colored and decorated the front and back covers. In school I always made sure I left enough room on the inside covers of my notebook so that I could doodle while the teacher taught the class. By the end of the period I had doodled so much that my artwork somehow ended up covering the margins next to my notes. Sometimes I actually doodled over my notes. Art was my form of meditation, my love and creating artworks was my favorite past time. As I grew older I noticed that not everyone loved art as much as I did. My friends, peers, relatives as well as strangers complemented me on my artworks, but at the end of the day they became tired of hearing me talk about art. Everyone that knew me understood how passionate I was about art, however, they advised me to find another activity that would be more beneficial for my future. "You're very smart Elsie, why don't you just make art your hobby and concentrate on something else more useful?" Years later I still heard the same thing from everyone who surrounded me. "You are very talented, but what's going to pay the bills when you get out of school? Art doesn't pay the bills if you can't sell your artwork...you need a plan B." Soon I became discouraged until I befriended this guy who was amazed by an artwork that I showed him. For some reason I found his reaction strange as he walked to random people and showed them my painting. If they asked who painted it, he pointed towards me and pulled me over so that they could ask me questions. I felt embarrassed! For years I was told not to place too much emphasis on my artwork, so I did not know how to react to my friend's psychotic behavior. He encouraged me to take pride in my artworks, and he challenged me to create a painting of him. Months later he sent me a photograph of himself, and soon I finished the painting. Once he saw the painting, he told me something that I will always remember: "I like your artwork and I can tell you like to paint. When something is your passion you have to ask yourself if you are willing to give up everything for it, or you are at least willing to dedicate your time to it. Otherwise it is not your passion, it is your hobby...now is art your hobby or your passion? Because if it is your passion then you can't worry about what others think. You have to do what you want to do and stop worrying about how it affects others." To make my story short, I always wonder how we go from young children who believe that the universe is ours to explore, to adults who always find a way to limit ourselves. Thinking about my childhood, there were so many things that I loved doing that I have now lost interest. I’m forced to ask myself when do I do something because it makes me happy and not because that thing is practical? I still have a passion for art, but for awhile I felt that I had divorced art. Now that we have rekindled our relationship I believe that the possibilities for where my artwork will go are endless. I want to create pieces that are beyond my wildest dreams. Hopefully I can change the minds of those who do not support my ambitions “Fear is the emotion that hinders us from accomplishing our wildest dreams”—Elsie AKA UrbanSoul