With his teacher's encouragement, James found his voice - and his destiny. It was the genesis of what would become an illustrious career - from mute to stage.
Positive appraisals and constructive criticism helped cultivate a disconcerting sense of purpose - though it would take years for me to truly embrace it. At the time, her encouragement felt like a booster shot, it hurt - at first. However, as it slogged through my veins, it lit rays of hope like a...