Hi, Jets fans! DinaMarie here. With auditions right around the corner again, the 2011 season felt like a blink of an eye. The offseason has given me time to reflect on my experiences from the last year, and motivate me to prepare for an even better 2012 season.
With that being said, one of the people in my life that has been a source of support all year was my mother. My mom has always been a role model in my life, not just because she is my mother but because I look at her as a woman of strength, character and discipline.
My mother is the type of woman who puts others before herself and is known by her friends, family and co-workers as someone who has a heart of gold and that you can always count on. Growing up, my mother has always been by my side motivating me to be the best I can be and to reach for the stars.
One of the things I love most about my mom is that she has taught me to see that there is no obstacle that is too big to conquer. Whether something ends in success or failure, it is all a learning experience. I can recall a few times in my life when I thought I was faced with a mountain too hard to climb and my mom said, "DinaMarie, just go for it. What's the worst that could happen?" It's that exact response that always made me feel like I can do anything I put my mind to, and I have my mom to thank for that.
My mom unfortunately didn't have a picture-perfect childhood. Being a first-generation American, her parents came to this country with very little money and hopes of a better life. When I was a little girl, my mom used to tell me stories of how she had started school not even speaking English and always had a hard time with her education.
My mom was the oldest of three and with her parents always working to support their family, she took on a motherly role to my aunt and uncle. The focus was never on herself, and things like extracurricular activities weren't even an option (one of the reasons I was put in dance class as a little girl). I keep these stories of her childhood with me and feel so grateful that my mom has worked so hard in order to give both my brother and me such great opportunities in our lives.
There are so many things that my mom has taught me throughout the years, and a lot of it comes down to being a woman of integrity. One of my mom's famous sayings that has stuck with me into my adult life is "If you're going to do something, do it right." No matter what area in my life, whether school, work or my personal life, I try to keep in mind always fulfilling certain tasks or goals in a manner that should make me feel proud of its completion or attainment.
I think we all have someone in our lives that we can look up to as a role model, and sometimes it's those people that we have to thank for where we are in life. If you do have someone in your life you consider a role model, reach out to them and let them know how much you appreciate their influence. It will mean the world to them!
Anxiously awaiting the 2012 season,
—DinaMarie
