Personal Statement
Written by Lynette B. Howard
“I was born by the river, in a little tent, and just like the river, I’ve been running ever since. It’s been a long time coming, and I know a change will come.” Sam Cooke wrote these lyrics in 1964, and I don’t think any other song can describe my life better.
I was born in September of 1979 by the Delaware River in Philadelphia, PA. At the age of 8, my family moved to New Jersey. After graduation from high school is where I began my race…“and been running ever since.”
Being born the youngest of 3 children, I was able to look to my older siblings for guidance, and was always encouraged to follow my heart and dream big. Silly of me, I chose the “show me the money” state of mind. For this reason, my heart was not into college in 1997. So, I decided to take time off to “find myself.” I wanted to know exactly what I want to do with the rest of my life. This journey stretched across 5 states and lasted for 10 years. All this time, and what do I get, “another day older and deeper in debt.”
In February of 2005, I returned to New Jersey from Louisiana and decided not to travel for a while. I spent time meditating and soul searching to find out what makes me happiest, because I was destined to complete my education. In June of that same year, my father passed away from an in-house infection he caught while recovering from brain surgery.
My father had a love of films. The first video I owned was given to me as a Christmas present from him. Now “Beauty and the Beast” is the first of over 400 videos I own in my collection, and it still one of my favorites.
(I think I have found my passion in life.)
My father introduced me to Dorothy Dandridge before Halle Berry introduced her to the world. I would watch AMC and TCM and we would chat about the old classics. He would tell me about films he saw as a child and his favorite actors/actresses. In his latter years, he couldn’t sit still in a theatre. So, I would go to the cinemas and come back and tell him about them.
There is not a day that goes by that I don’t miss him. I still tell him about the movies though. Instead of telling him face to face, I write them down, revise them, and turn them into reviews. I post them on my webpage: www.myspace.com/acsafire
I dream of being a film critic. It took me 10 years to find what I was passionate about, and now I can’t imagine wanting to do anything else.
Isaiah 40:31 But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.”