Marisol

Marisol has just finished high school, and must chase a dream. Whose dream will she chase?

 Have you ever thought about your life? I think about mine all the time and I have no idea where it is going. My name is Marisol, and this is my story.

 My parents are always fighting and never give me the time of day. I just graduated from my high school and people are trying to tell me what to do with my life. While my parents are normally fighting they have voiced their own opinions about what I should do.

 Dad wants me to stay in Mexico and help him with his business. He is a coffee farmer and wants me to help him with the farm. I have helped him with his farm for the majority of my life. I had a brother who helped as well but he was gunned down as he tried to help a man who got shot by a gang in town. My dad needs the help, but I don’t want to settle for this kind of life for the rest of my life.

 I don’t want what my dad wants from me, and I don’t want what my mother wants me to do. She believes that I should apply to an American university and continue my studies in the United States. People believe that America is the best place to be, but I don’t.

 Mexico is my home, and I’m proud of my heritage.  I do not want to leave my country, I want to make it better. I have dreams, and I want to live them. My dreams do not include working on my fathers farm or running away to another country like my mother suggest I do.
 
 What is my dream? In school, I enjoyed acting and everyone says I’m pretty good. To my father, acting can never bring a decent life. He says the money from working a coffee farm would more then double that as an actress. My mother thinks that acting is not a real profession and that I need to focus on being a doctor or a lawyer. They don’t understand me, and lately I’ve given up on them.

 One morning I awake to my phone ringing. I answer it and it is a representative from The Centro Nacional de las Artes. They saw my audition tape and want me to come down to Mexico City to practice with their traveling theatre group.  The pay is average at best, but I’d be doing something I love. I arrange to discuss the matter with my parents.

 My mother and father were upset when I told them what my dreams were. They said it would take me nowhere in life. I am old enough to leave and I am going to! I want to follow my dreams and not the dreams of my mother and father. If I disappoint them, so be it.

 I make some phone calls later that evening while my parents are out of the house. My best friend who lives in Mexico City offered to help me get settled in the city. My aunt gives me the money for a bus ticket to the city. I am nervous because I will basically have nothing but my dreams when I arrive to Mexico City. However, I can not give up on my dreams. I have to make this work!

 A few nights later, my mother and father are again arguing because of my decision. They think they know what is best for me, but I want to make my own decisions and make my own path. My father comes into my room and says I’m throwing my life away. He says I am one big disappointment, while my mother stands at the door not saying a word.

 Its 10PM now and they are asleep in bed. At 11:35PM this will all be over! I pack what I can fit into two bags and a backpack. I grab my bus ticket from my desk and climb out of the window. As I head towards the bus station, I look back at what used to be my life. I may never come back, and that would be okay with me. I leave a letter behind for my parents because even though I am deeply upset with them, I want them to know I’m okay. I hope when they read it, they will finally understand who I am and hopefully will accept me and not try to mold me into what they want.

 I am at the bus station and I see the bright lights coming down the dark lonely road. It is time for me to grow up and find my own life. I am leaving with nothing more then pocket change but I am going to get away and find myself. I am chasing my dreams, and I have the heart and courage to make this work. The bus pulls up and the door opens. I hand the driver my ticket, the door shuts and my new life is about to begin.

Author's Note

SPECIAL NOTE: This was inspired by a song with the same title, Marisol by Emily Osment. It is a real inspirational song and the basis for this writing. I encourage you to check out that song.
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This is a rough edit, I will add more to this soon. I have not wrote any new material in close to a year so I dont expect this to turn out that good. Its also something different then what I'm used to writing about (bullying, death) so I at least hope you enjoy it.