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Dreams Denied

"I almost gave up on my dreams because I lacked determination."

By K.D.

I know what it's like to lose sight of my goals and dismiss them as childish.

I'm K.D. with a commentary for Youth Radio.

When I was younger I used to play every sport and wanted to become a pro-football player. But my dreams of playing football seemed like small change compared to the big money my friends were making from selling drugs and robbing people. So instead of weight training after school with the rest of my teammates, I stood on the corner in front of the liquor store selling drugs and hanging out with my friends.

After a couple of years of being in and out of jail, selling drugs, and robbing people the idea of my name on the back of a football jersey was a vague picture in my mind. But since I've been incarcerated I've had a lot of time to think about the mistakes I've made.

Now I am working on my music, and trying to get a computer degree. I know I have matured, because now I stop to consider my decisions rather than act on my first instinct. I realize now it only takes a split second to mess up my life and risk my freedom.

I almost gave up on my dreams because I lacked determination. Don't get me wrong -- I still want to play football, but I care more about education now. Hopefully I'll play in college. The best lesson I learned was not to take the easy way out. I found out that the more I struggle the more I rise.

For Youth Radio, I'm K.D. from Camp Sweeney