“5.” I glanced down at the ticket in my hands as I sat on the floor in my parents’ living room. I had just turned eighteen, eligible for my first lottery ticket, and I decided to get one on a whim. And now they were announcing the winner. So far, one number in, I matched. […]
Read MoreCategory Archive for Contest Submission | Yakezie.com - Part 9
4. A Little Game of Go Fish
“I love you! I love you!” The little Honduran boy yelled those three little words again and again in his heavily accented English. After he had recently attached himself to my hip, I taught him how to say “te quiero” in my own dialect. He would not let me forget it. But after the long […]
Read More3. A New View on Mexico
The whole drug war going on in Mexico and now part of Central America has really changed my perceptions of those countries south of the border, and also those of my own country. Although the drug trade has been alive and strong for many years, it was not until recently that President Calderon decided to […]
Read More2. An Abundance of Second Chances
Do you remember a time—maybe when you were a little kid, maybe just recently—when you did something awful? It most likely disappointed the people around you. Or perhaps the disappointment you felt in yourself nearly suffocated you…with shame, anger, and regret. Everyone has had moments when they say (wholeheartedly), “If I could have anything in […]
Read More1. Success For The Long Run
“Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful.” -Herman Cain Do you remember that high school superlative “Most Likely to Succeed?” When you look back in your old yearbook, you see the boy and girl that were the most […]
Read MoreEnough
With a sigh, I breathed, “I just can’t get the character I guess.” Paralyzed by the camera’s blinking red light and surrounded by talented actors who intimidated me, my cheeks flushed bright crimson. I forgot my lines and butchered the monologue; I dove in headfirst and choked. “You are enough, just as you are,” Greg […]
Read MorePersonal Hero
Striking good looks. Sturdy, commanding voice. Undeniable knack for adventure. Quick wit. These are a few of the defining qualities attributed to the archetype most people imagine when they think of ‘A Hero’. However, consider the concept of ‘Your Hero’, and the archetype dissolves. This is because real life heroes come in many different forms. […]
Read MoreThe Gift of Caring
As odd as it may seem, I don’t even know the name of the person whose act of quiet kindness changed the way I look at the world. It was nothing more than a chance encounter, but those few brief minutes will live with me forever, challenging me to be a little better than I […]
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