story about one of my classmates. He has dyslexia, as Terri does. Also, he is by far the wealthiest of all of the graduates of my class.....and about how his decision making abilities got him to where he is today. How all our decisions effect us, day in and day out. After all, how many decisions do you make daily?

Think about that for a moment. Isn't everything a decision? Do I
get up as soon as the alarm goes off in the morning, or do I hit the
snooze button? Do I wear my this or do I wear that? Do we
smile or scowl at the people around us first thing in the morning?

Every action and inaction we take every moment of everyday
involves making choices.

Glen Ridge High School Class of 1980 was noted for being the
largest class in the history of this suburban community. The
majority of us started school together as kindergartners and
would graduate together thirteen years later. Very important to
the average Glen Ridge student was being smart, good looking, and
be active in a sport. One of my classmates fit the bill quite well,
until his wrestling injury in our Junior Year sidelined him. The
wrestling coach took Tom Mapother aside and suggested he
audition for "Guys and Dolls": the Junior Class Play. At Glen
Ridge, there was one play annually and the Junior Class Play was
it!

Tom could have said, "No, macho athletic guys do not audition for
musicals. What would the wrestling team think of me dancing
around a stage? Nah, not me!" but instead, Tom made the choice
to audition. He took action, got the lead and fell in love with
performing.

Being in close proximity to Manhattan, opportunities abounded.
He quickly landed a role in a Brooke Shields movie, "Endless Love."
It was a small role, playing one of Brooke's brothers. I can not
even remember who played Brooke's love. Can you?

The next movie we saw Tom in was "Taps" about kids in a Military
Academy. This was mostly a vehicle for Timothy Hutton, recently
successful in "Ordinary People". Tom took a small role, but
made the choice to play it with every ounce of his being. He fully
became a very intense, crazed cadet. He made the decision to
take a part which could have been insignificant and used it to flex
his acting muscle. To fully become the role assigned. He was so
in the moment, so completely engaging in the part, that it
catapulted him to the attention of many high powered Hollywood
decision makers. Tom made a choice and took action by taking
a small role and grew it to mammoth, life changing proportions.

After his breakthrough role in "Risky Business", my classmate
Tom Mapother fully became movie star, Tom Cruise. His star-making
movie could have become another coming of age teen flick, but
instead it is now a classic.

This summer, I was one of many who sat in the highest grossing
film, "Mission Impossible II". There was my classmate
getting an adrenaline rush while driving expensive cars and
motorcycles and rock climbing and hobnobbing with the rich and
influential in Sydney, Australia. While enjoying the entertainment
value of this movie, I recognized the power of the star's choices
from a wrestling injury in his Junior Year in high school up until
today, more than twenty years later.

As a producer, he was able to decide to film his movie in Sydney,
Australia, his wife's homeland. He made the choice to do most of
his own stuntwork. He was able to make this heartjumping movie
on the heels of another movie, "Magnolia" where he chose to play
a supporting role quite different this one, thus netting an Academy
Award nomination in the process.

What decisions are you making today? What will the combined
impact of your choices for today be upon you tomorrow, next
month and next year? Regardless of how seemingly insignificant
the decision may be, think about it. When you are faced with a
choice today, consider it for an extra second and then take action
on your decision. Action to bring you closer to realizing your
ideal life.

Theodore Roosevelt said, "In any moment of decision, the best thing
you can do is the right thing. The worst thing you can do is nothing."
Deciding not to take action is like deciding to keep the door locked
to your self-induced prison. If your heart is racing, if you feel
restless, if the depth of feeling startles you deep in your belly
reading these words, the message to you is make powerful choices.
Take action.

Live your life as you were meant to live.

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