Be true to Yourself - SOL

As I read the new quote for  "Artists in Blogland",

it struck me that being true to yourself begins with your younger self. The dreams we have in childhood often get lost as we grow, mature and are impacted by the world around us.

My dream to be a teacher began in Grade 3 as an 8 year old. I lined up my stuffies and taught them their letters. later I sat my younger sister and brothers and tried to teach them. (Didn't work as well as the stuffies!)
I became a teacher in 1977, taught in the NWT for 3 years, in Alberta for 2 years and in Ontario for the past 25 years.
I love teaching and describe myself first as a teacher.
Even if I retire this year (as I hope to do), I I will still teach, hopefully art to children.

Art and writing are my new dreams - we are never to old to dream. But I must be true to myself and develop my own style and skills.

There are so many quotes that really reflect the need to "be true to yourself",

from Shakespeare
"To thine own self be true."
to
Steve Jobs:
"Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life". ~Steve Jobs

Here are a few more:

"Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind."  ~Dr. Seuss

"It takes courage to grow up and become who you really are."  ~e.e. cummings

"There is just one life for each of us: our own". ~Euripides

"Be what you are. This is the first step toward becoming better than you are". ~Julius Charles Hare

"The most important kind of freedom is to be what you really are."  ~Jim Morrison

"You were born an original. Don't die a copy". ~John Mason