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Two Tails


40% Parents

60% Peers, mentors, and media

I was that shy kid who would listen

Tucked in shirt and everything,

Dawn and dusk I was a good kid

Night & day my family was not

 

David? Arrested

Marcos? Arrested

Mother? Detested

Mama always said, “Don't be like your brothers.”

Misbehaved kids get attention from parents, behaved one gets none

Raised by friends, family and coaches

Friends. Some, more family than family.

Friends, people who I trust more with my feelings than my own blood

Memory are with my friends

They gave me pain, they gave me opportunities

Opportunities to change the world once again

Opportunities to unknowingly receive pain  

Whom else does such a thing?

Family

 

“Anomaly!”

Sincerely, Family…

“ It’s good to help others!”- Dad

“Community service? What a waste!”- Dad

“Money doesn’t buy happiness! Follow your dream!”- Mom

“Forget internships! Forget the dream! Make that green!”- Mom

Definition of Contradiction: Parents

Their words, almost seem as real as a mirage

Though this was constant, family gave much love

They gave me a backbone

Showed that love is much more than I love yous and hugs all the time

It is about meaning it after a fight,

It is about seeing the light,

It is about love reaching a new height

Mom and I every night

 

Coaches preached; “ HELP EACH OTHER! LOVE EACH OTHER!”

I loved my teammates, helped my teammates

The creed coach carved into me like a tattoo

Nearly died by that creed!

Blood, sweat, tears! All put in for my passion

Countless nights messaging people to events

Countless nights planning for hours

Countless hours invested in something the 60% are proud of me for doing

 

Helping people are the coal of my motivation train

And the wheels are the 60%

What about the 40%?

Oh yeah! They are the tracks to success

Life is a story of many tails, mine just so happens to be two.

 
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HernanAcosta1

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HernanAcosta1
<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.2;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-ec47b369-e084-3aed-01e9-58a335a890a4"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; font-family: Arial; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; background-color: transparent;">40% Parents</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.2;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-ec47b369-e084-3aed-01e9-58a335a890a4"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; font-family: Arial; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; background-color: transparent;">60% Peers, mentors, and media</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.2;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-ec47b369-e084-3aed-01e9-58a335a890a4"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; font-family: Arial; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; background-color: transparent;">I was that shy kid who would listen</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.2;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-ec47b369-e084-3aed-01e9-58a335a890a4"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; font-family: Arial; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; background-color: transparent;">Tucked in shirt and everything,</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.2;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-ec47b369-e084-3aed-01e9-58a335a890a4"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; font-family: Arial; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; background-color: transparent;">Dawn and dusk I was a good kid</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.2;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-ec47b369-e084-3aed-01e9-58a335a890a4"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; font-family: Arial; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; background-color: transparent;">Night &amp; day my family was not</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.2;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;">&nbsp;</p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.2;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-ec47b369-e084-3aed-01e9-58a335a890a4"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; font-family: Arial; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; background-color: transparent;">David? Arrested</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.2;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-ec47b369-e084-3aed-01e9-58a335a890a4"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; font-family: Arial; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; background-color: transparent;">Marcos? Arrested </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.2;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-ec47b369-e084-3aed-01e9-58a335a890a4"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; font-family: Arial; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; background-color: transparent;">Mother? Detested</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.2;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-ec47b369-e084-3aed-01e9-58a335a890a4"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; font-family: Arial; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; background-color: transparent;">Mama always said, &ldquo;Don&#39;t be like your brothers.&rdquo;</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.2;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-ec47b369-e084-3aed-01e9-58a335a890a4"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; font-family: Arial; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; background-color: transparent;">Misbehaved kids get attention from parents, behaved one gets none</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.2;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-ec47b369-e084-3aed-01e9-58a335a890a4"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; font-family: Arial; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; background-color: transparent;">Raised by friends, family and coaches</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.2;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-ec47b369-e084-3aed-01e9-58a335a890a4"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; font-family: Arial; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; background-color: transparent;">Friends. Some, more family than family.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.2;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-ec47b369-e084-3aed-01e9-58a335a890a4"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; font-family: Arial; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; background-color: transparent;">Friends, people who I trust more with my feelings than my own blood</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.2;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-ec47b369-e084-3aed-01e9-58a335a890a4"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; font-family: Arial; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; background-color: transparent;">Memory are with my friends</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.2;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-ec47b369-e084-3aed-01e9-58a335a890a4"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; font-family: Arial; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; background-color: transparent;">They gave me pain, they gave me opportunities</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.2;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-ec47b369-e084-3aed-01e9-58a335a890a4"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; font-family: Arial; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; background-color: transparent;">Opportunities to change the world once again</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.2;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-ec47b369-e084-3aed-01e9-58a335a890a4"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; font-family: Arial; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; background-color: transparent;">Opportunities to unknowingly receive pain &nbsp;</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.2;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-ec47b369-e084-3aed-01e9-58a335a890a4"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; font-family: Arial; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; background-color: transparent;">Whom else does such a thing?</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.2;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-ec47b369-e084-3aed-01e9-58a335a890a4"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; font-family: Arial; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; background-color: transparent;">Family </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.2;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;">&nbsp;</p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.2;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-ec47b369-e084-3aed-01e9-58a335a890a4"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; font-family: Arial; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; background-color: transparent;">-&ldquo;Anomaly!&rdquo;</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.2;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-ec47b369-e084-3aed-01e9-58a335a890a4"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; font-family: Arial; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; background-color: transparent;">Sincerely, Family&hellip;</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.2;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-ec47b369-e084-3aed-01e9-58a335a890a4"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; font-family: Arial; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; background-color: transparent;">&ldquo; It&rsquo;s good to help others!&rdquo;- Dad</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.2;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-ec47b369-e084-3aed-01e9-58a335a890a4"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; font-family: Arial; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; background-color: transparent;">&ldquo;Community service? What a waste!&rdquo;- Dad</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.2;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-ec47b369-e084-3aed-01e9-58a335a890a4"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; font-family: Arial; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; background-color: transparent;">&ldquo;Money doesn&rsquo;t buy happiness! Follow your dream!&rdquo;- Mom</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.2;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-ec47b369-e084-3aed-01e9-58a335a890a4"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; font-family: Arial; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; background-color: transparent;">&ldquo;Forget internships! Forget the dream! Make that green!&rdquo;- Mom</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.2;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-ec47b369-e084-3aed-01e9-58a335a890a4"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; font-family: Arial; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; background-color: transparent;">Definition of Contradiction: Parents</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.2;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-ec47b369-e084-3aed-01e9-58a335a890a4"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; font-family: Arial; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; background-color: transparent;">Their words, almost seem as real as a mirage</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.2;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-ec47b369-e084-3aed-01e9-58a335a890a4"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; font-family: Arial; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; background-color: transparent;">Though this was constant, family gave much love</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.2;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-ec47b369-e084-3aed-01e9-58a335a890a4"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; font-family: Arial; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; background-color: transparent;">They gave me a backbone </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.2;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-ec47b369-e084-3aed-01e9-58a335a890a4"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; font-family: Arial; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; background-color: transparent;">Showed that love is much more than I love yous and hugs all the time</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.2;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-ec47b369-e084-3aed-01e9-58a335a890a4"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; font-family: Arial; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; background-color: transparent;">It is about meaning it after a fight, </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.2;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-ec47b369-e084-3aed-01e9-58a335a890a4"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; font-family: Arial; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; background-color: transparent;">It is about seeing the light, </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.2;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-ec47b369-e084-3aed-01e9-58a335a890a4"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; font-family: Arial; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; background-color: transparent;">It is about love reaching a new height</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.2;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-ec47b369-e084-3aed-01e9-58a335a890a4"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; font-family: Arial; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; background-color: transparent;">Mom and I every night</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.2;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;">&nbsp;</p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.2;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-ec47b369-e084-3aed-01e9-58a335a890a4"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; font-family: Arial; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; background-color: transparent;">Coaches preached; &ldquo; HELP EACH OTHER! LOVE EACH OTHER!&rdquo;</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.2;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-ec47b369-e084-3aed-01e9-58a335a890a4"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; font-family: Arial; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; background-color: transparent;">I loved my teammates, helped my teammates</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.2;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-ec47b369-e084-3aed-01e9-58a335a890a4"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; font-family: Arial; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; background-color: transparent;">The creed coach carved into me like a tattoo</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.2;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-ec47b369-e084-3aed-01e9-58a335a890a4"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; font-family: Arial; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; background-color: transparent;">Nearly died by that creed! </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.2;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-ec47b369-e084-3aed-01e9-58a335a890a4"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; font-family: Arial; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; background-color: transparent;">Blood, sweat, tears! All put in for my passion</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.2;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-ec47b369-e084-3aed-01e9-58a335a890a4"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; font-family: Arial; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; background-color: transparent;">Countless nights messaging people to events</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.2;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-ec47b369-e084-3aed-01e9-58a335a890a4"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; font-family: Arial; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; background-color: transparent;">Countless nights planning for hours</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.2;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-ec47b369-e084-3aed-01e9-58a335a890a4"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; font-family: Arial; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; background-color: transparent;">Countless hours invested in something the 60% are proud of me for doing</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.2;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;">&nbsp;</p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.2;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-ec47b369-e084-3aed-01e9-58a335a890a4"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; font-family: Arial; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; background-color: transparent;">Helping people are the coal of my motivation train</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.2;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-ec47b369-e084-3aed-01e9-58a335a890a4"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; font-family: Arial; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; background-color: transparent;">And the wheels are the 60%</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.2;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-ec47b369-e084-3aed-01e9-58a335a890a4"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; font-family: Arial; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; background-color: transparent;">What about the 40%? </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.2;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-ec47b369-e084-3aed-01e9-58a335a890a4"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; font-family: Arial; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; background-color: transparent;">Oh yeah! They are the tracks to success</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.2;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-ec47b369-e084-3aed-01e9-58a335a890a4"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; font-family: Arial; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; background-color: transparent;">Life is a story of many tails, mine just so happens to be two.</span></span></p><div>&nbsp;</div>

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