About.

There are people in our lives who influence and shape us. People who change the trajectory of our journey. They do so through their actions, and their words. 

Sometimes their impact is immediate. Sometimes it lingers. Even 40 years later.

I attended Oakton Elementary School in northern Virginia. In the fall of my 5th grade year, I participated in a school play competition. I wrote, directed and performed in my first play, "The Snoggletoss Family." (Catchy title, huh? Part of a longer story. . . )  

The experience, for me, was exhilarating. My friends were the cast. My mother came to see all five performances. (Oh, and, we won!)

Several months later, I learned we were moving away before my 6th grade year.  My father was a career Navy officer and he was going to be stationed in Hawaii (I loved moving every three years as my parents made it a family adventure, and Hawaii is, well, Hawaii!).

On my last day at Oakton Elementary, we didn't have yearbooks to sign, so I asked my teachers to sign the manila envelope that contained my school papers. 

Ms. M, who taught and worked with me across multiple school subjects, wrote four simple words, "to a great playwright."

She understood and recognized a passion. She understood it probably more profoundly than I think I did at the time.  While I dabbled in creative theater, writing and directing over the years, I pursued a career path that included military service, working at the White House, a political appointment, and two-decades working in the technology business sector. I loved every challenge, every opportunity and every experience along the way.  And I always had a desire to get back to a passion that was ignited in 5th grade.

And just over 40 years later, Ms. M's four words remained etched in my mind, and a passion was reborn with 40 Years Running Films.

-Tim