Book Of Likes Faces

I think it's probably important to all of us that people we love and respect are proud of us, for something.  I am notorious for saying I don't care if people like me or not, or are proud of me or not.  And that is true on many levels, depending on the respect I have for the person.   I know many people that I don't give an f about their approval because I either don't like their ways or don't respect who they are as a person.  But if I love and respect a person, yes, their approval and pride in me means a lot.  For example, with my plays.  There are a lot of people that theater and writing is not their thing and they don't see it as important.  So no matter how good my writing is, I know they're not going to be proud of me for it.  And that's okay.  But my Literature and English and Theater teachers?  That's another matter.  I am so lucky to have seen almost two dozen of my plays produced on stage locally.  And all of the proceeds from all of those plays have gone to benefit a good cause of some kind.  I always do that in order to make sure that everybody wins.  The audiences get enjoyment, I get the gratification of seeing amazing actors speaking my words, and a good cause benefits.  Ms. Betty White always made it a point to see all of my plays, either live or on video, and always told me what made her the proudest was the fact that something good always came of my plays.  The last time I visited her, I was telling her that I had gotten a letter from The Halo Trust, Princess Diana 's landmine organization that received the proceeds from the production of my last play, "CHOICES".  This letter informed me that what we made (more than $5,000 dollars from ticket and DVD sales) provided enough to clear more than 2 acres of land in and around the Jordan River.  The landmines there left over from the 6 day war in the 1960's were removed, making it safe for tourists and pilgrims to make their holy journey without the threat of being blown to pieces from stepping on a landmine.  Ms. Betty White just thought that was the most amazing thing, and told me that my writing had changed the world and made it safer, no matter where I lived at.  Now THAT'S the kind of pride that makes me the happiest.