I'm very thankful I went to college, because I've seen the

“I’m very thankful I went to college, because I’ve seen the difference that it makes for me in the professional world. After graduation, I was building a name for myself in the Chicago theater scene, but there was always this pull to L.A.” Thus spoke KiKi Layne, a voice of grace and perseverance, whose journey from the quiet halls of learning to the radiant lights of cinema mirrors the timeless struggle between preparation and purpose, between foundation and destiny. In these words, she expresses not only gratitude but understanding — that education, when embraced with sincerity, becomes the seedbed from which confidence and clarity grow. Her reflection is both humble and heroic: a recognition that learning shaped her craft, while ambition called her to higher ground.

For KiKi Layne, college was not merely a station on the way to success, but a sacred ground of becoming. It was there, within classrooms and studios, that her spirit was refined, her discipline tested, and her artistry awakened. To be “thankful” for college, as she says, is to acknowledge that the roots of mastery lie in structure — that before one can soar, one must be grounded. The difference she speaks of is not only practical but spiritual: education bestowed upon her the tools of craft, but also the endurance of mind that separates those who wish from those who will. Her gratitude is not for the diploma itself, but for the transformation that came with it.

In her journey through the Chicago theater scene, we find the second truth of her words — that growth begins not in glory, but in the quiet circles of dedication. Chicago, with its deep artistic soul, became her testing ground, her crucible. There she learned that every performance, every struggle, every audience is a teacher. Yet even as she found her footing, she felt the pull to Los Angeles — that ancient call of destiny that whispers to every artist, every dreamer, every soul who knows they are meant for more. The pull, as she names it, is the tension between contentment and calling — the force that draws the heart beyond comfort toward fulfillment.

The ancients, too, knew this divine tension. The philosopher Plato spoke of the “divine discontent,” that inner stirring which drives the soul to seek higher forms of truth. Likewise, the heroes of myth — from Odysseus, who longed to return home, to Aeneas, who felt called to found a new one — were guided by such pulls, invisible yet undeniable. In KiKi Layne’s voice, we hear that same music of longing — the artist’s eternal journey from foundation to freedom. Her story teaches us that education is the harbor, but destiny is the sea.

Consider the life of Viola Davis, who, like Layne, built her craft through study and struggle before the world ever applauded her. She, too, graduated from the discipline of theater before conquering the screen, and she has often spoken of her training as the fortress that held her through rejection and adversity. Their stories together remind us that college, when pursued with purpose, is not simply a place to learn facts, but to forge identity — to learn resilience, humility, and the courage to pursue one’s own calling.

But Layne’s words also reveal a lesson about timing. She did not rush blindly toward fame, nor did she linger in hesitation. She honored each phase of her journey — education, training, and then transition — understanding that every season has its task. The modern world often tempts us to chase the end before the beginning, to crave recognition before readiness. Yet she shows us the wisdom of patience: to first build a name, to cultivate one’s art quietly, until the time comes when the heart’s pull cannot be denied. That is the rhythm of destiny — not haste, but harmony.

So, dear listener, let this teaching be written upon your heart: education is the foundation of freedom, and gratitude is the guardian of greatness. Do not despise the season of learning, for it prepares you to walk with strength when your calling arrives. And when the pull of destiny begins to stir within you — when life invites you toward a greater horizon — do not fear the leap. Trust what you have learned. Trust what you have built. For knowledge without courage remains silent, and courage without knowledge may falter; but together, they create a life that is both wise and wondrous.

Practical actions for the seeker: Treasure your education, formal or otherwise, as sacred preparation for the path ahead. Approach learning not as obligation, but as investment — a temple in which your gifts are refined. When opportunity calls, remember KiKi Layne’s example: be thankful for what formed you, but fearless in pursuing what awaits you. Build your craft where you are; honor your roots, but follow the pull of your purpose when it arises. For in doing so, you join the great lineage of those who learned deeply, worked humbly, and dared greatly — and through that sacred balance, turned their preparation into destiny.