Sometimes good fortune is just a text message away
Do you ever wonder if anyone ever wins those contests we see advertised everywhere?
We live in a world of skepticism. It's always the other guy who gets the break. I have been entering Publisher's Clearinghouse for over 30 years now. That truck hasn't pulled up to my door yet, but I still keep entering anyway.
I'm an optimist that believes that it can't hurt to try. You just never know. My son, Matt, followed that belief and it paid off!
Last month, I was sitting in the theater watching the Disney movie, "Oceans" at Streets of Woodfield with my third grade class. My cell phone rang and I saw Matt's name come up. He never calls me during the day because he knows I'm teaching.
I let the call go, but when his name came up for the second time, I went into the "worried mom" mode. Was something wrong?
I stepped outside and answered the call. Between gasps of excitement, Matt managed to tell me he had won a grand prize drawing from Campus MovieFest sponsored by AT&T. The prizes were an Apple computer, Final Cut Pro software, HD Panasonic video camera, touch screen Samsung phone, 8GB iPod, AT&T gift card, cash, and a trip to the Cannes Film Festival in France.
I walked back into the dim lit theater and told my co-teacher the news. She looked up at me with a "Are you sure about this?" look, and to be honest, I wasn't.
When I got back to school I called my husband to verify the news. He went online to check the contest guidelines. According to the rules, Matt won a grand prize second chance drawing by texting on a phone provided by AT&T. What a fabulous opportunity for an 18-year-old college student!
Matt is a sophomore at Loyola University in Chicago, double-majoring in Theater and Biology. He wants to pursue his love for theater and acting.
Matt took a friend who graduated from Flashpoint Academy in Chicago with a major in Film. The two had a fabulous time walking along the French Riviera, climbing the steps of the red carpet where the stars walk, meeting a few directors and producers, and previewing an upcoming American release film, "Fair Game."
I think we all learned a life lesson through this experience. It is really true that opportunities are out there for the taking. You just have to try. It's the way all of us should live our lives.
Think of every day as a contest, you might just win the grand prize!
• The Tutaks live in Schaumburg. Both Matt and Tom graduated from Conant High School, Matt in 2009; Tom in 2008