New Beginnings

Contest Entry

One day, Laura sits with her grandfather, feeling unsure of what to do with her life and wanting some guidance. "What's wrong?" He asked. "I feel lost" He looks at me, "Why?" "I feel like I have no path in life and I don't know what to do" "You're afraid you'll do something that won't make you happy?" "Yeah, what should I do?" "Let me tell you a story that might help you" He leans back, clearing his throat, "Once there was a girl named Lorena. Born in Mexico, she was able to come to the United States at age 3. She's very similar to you, actually. She had a great fascination for literature and was determined to be the best writer of the century. Her family found her passion for writing amusing, but didn't believe it provided a steady living. Being an immigrant woman of color, they knew life would be harder for her than for others with lighter skin. But Lorena wasn't intimidated by that. But entering high school let her see how living in the US wasn't as easy as she thought. Racism, discrimination and misogyny made her feel like she didn't belong. She cared about what others thought of her and felt the need to pretend to be someone she wasn't. She was straying away from the right path and as high school went on, she was involved in things that could've gotten her in jail or killed. Her family lived in poverty and she didn't know how to help them. She felt that school wasn't gonna help her gain money so she left. She looked for work but, being a Chicana, the boss' prejudice made them believe she would only cause trouble. In desperation, she sold drugs to make money, believing there was no other way. She had lost faith in herself. She didn't think she could be a writer, now only living to survive. She missed her graduation after getting arrested. And the next weeks, after getting out, were filled with stress, uncertainty, and shame because it was her own fault. And the lack of money, impeded her return to school so she went to work, getting the only job she could as a warehouse packager. By the end of the day she'd be full of dirt, sweat, and exhaustion. But now she had the chance to improve and if she could go back in time, she'd tell herself not to waste her life. She'd say that no adversity lasts forever and to never be afraid to do what you love. 

The story brought tears to Laura's eyes. He smiles, giving her a hug, "Even if you think you'll fail, never forget there's always a chance to get back up. Whatever makes you happy should be what you stick with, no matter what others say" Since then, Laura entered the school of her choice and became one of the best screenwriters in the country. Looking back, she never could've done it without her grandfather.