Mackenzi


 * "The vision of a champion is someone who is bent over, drenched in sweat, at the point of exhaustion, when no one else is looking." -Anson Dorrance**

My school email: mackenzigooley@mevsd.net

Hi my name is Kenzi! Five things that you should know about me are: Soccer is my favorite thing in the world, I play basketball, I want to be an author, my favorite food is pineapple, and my favorite color is blue. Also, I have read the Harry Potter series twice and those are my favorite books. The two authors who have inspired me to want pursue a career in writing are J.K. Rawlings, and Veronica Roth (author of the Divergent series).

Adrenaline is pumping I am limited by none The world is at my fingertips I can reach out and grab the sun A life filled with adventure A journey to call my own Wherever my mind may venture The desk becomes my home
 * Simple Freedom:**

Power surges through me Mightier than the sword And I become a composer Of my own world to be explored Freedom is not free It requires my devotion But the pen can be my key To unleash the surge of my emotion

Writing is my liberty My imagination has been stirred And an opportunity is created With the production of every word
 * __Without__**

There would be no good without evil There would be no pride without shame There would be no win without losers And without loss no point in the game

There cannot be light darkness There would be no love without spite There would be no courage without danger And we would never know wrong without right

For the hardships in life define the blessed ones As no one lives a life free of pain But that pain can teach us a lesson To never waste a second in vain

Success is always our goal But without failure its mystique is lost Sometimes the victory is in losing So when you win it is worth a much higher cost

Remember this rhyme through the challenges So that you may bow your head and pray Praising God for more than the blessings But for the lessons taught through the things in the way

=One Pager:=


 * The Reason:**
 * Chapter 1**
 * //…The ocean, vast, deep, mysterious. The depths of its waters hold both a secret and a beauty beyond human comprehension. Far below the glassy surface is a new world, that is a part of ours yet entirely its own. The never-ending sea is diverse in plants and animals. For on the ocean floor coral becomes trees and dolphins become lifeguards. It holds in possession landforms that take shape as mid-ocean ridges and undersea volcanoes, even more the villains and giants that are better known as the sharks and whales gliding through the silky water off into the unknown. For the ocean will never be fully discovered. Regardless of the numerous findings that man is sure to uncover, its dark depths hold incessant secrets that will remain a mystery for all of eternity.//**
 * My pen drops and hits the paper on which I had concluded my piece. I raise my chin up into the warm sea breeze as it bounces off the water to play in my shoulder length dirty blonde hair. As it tickles around my chin I allow my body to drift backwards, leaning further and further until at last my head gently rests upon the little dock I consider my home. Looking up into the rising sun a thought seems to flood through my mind, pouring over every part of my body as I take in how surreal it is that I am here once again.**
 * “This is the best place in the world.” The words breeze through my lips without my meaning to say them, yet as soon as they come I approve and know they are true. I sigh and stretch out my hastily painted toenails toward the rushing waves ten feet below. They lap against the wood in a loud rushing noise that reminds me of a dog begging its owner for a treat that remains in their hand, just out of the canines reach.**
 * Everything in the 26 years of my life could be summed up by this little shore. From my love to my loss, my friendship to courage, the dock was here through it all. Looking back it amazes me how so much could come from one spot. But when I really think about it, it’s not just a spot, but the setting of my story.**
 * Whenever I sit at this dock it all comes back to me. Everything, from laughing to crying, yelling to cheering, loving to hating… The best place to start is in the spring of 1973. I was young and foolish, my mind bursting with hopes and dreams of a prosperous future and a career as an author and a journalist. Little did I know about what the future would hold. For life is like the ocean, wild, unpredictable, and tragic.**

**Second One Pager Continued-**

 * Chapter 2: The End of Perfection**
 * Almost exactly ten years ago I was sitting in this exact spot, completing another writing project. However that piece was towards my college journalism class and was written as nothing more than a project. What I had written this morning was not for want or pleasure, but simply needing to empty my mind into my notebook. I had no choice but to let the words pour out from the black pen onto the clear canvas of paper. Anyway, I was sitting looking out over the horizon when a familiar voice rang through the gentle breeze.**
 * “Hey stranger, miss me?” A tall girl dropped down next to me, beaming. She had blonde hair that fell down her back and large dark brown eyes. Her quizzical smile lifted the air of seriousness about her appearance and reflected her kind natured personality. My older sister, her name was Arriana, and at the time she was the best thing that ever happened to me. Not only was she my best friend, but my only supporter, the only person in my family who truly cared about me and my well being. Growing up in the Daylee house is like growing up in a military institution. My parents were extremely strict and monitored everything I did. The most important thing in the world to them was that their two perfect daughters grew up to become successful lawyers, following in their footsteps. For Arriana becoming a lawyer was not a choice. From the time she was little she loved debating and problem solving and finding a loop hole in a seemingly impossible situation. Naturally, she pursued law, but not for my parents, for herself. On the other hand, I hated everything about lawyers. My parents came home completely exhausted and stressed beyond belief, and I remember thinking, why do they do that to themselves? Why would anyone enter into a profession that could made you feel guilty if you lost, ashamed if you won a case for a guilty client and stressed to the limit until you know the outcome? From that moment on I knew that I would never go down the same route as my sister. I knew that I was different.**
 * “When did you get back?” I asked in disbelief of her presence.**
 * “This morning! I came early so that we could spend time together before we go to see mom.” On the last four words her voiced dropped. The airiness of her arrival was immediately replaced by a commanding voice “You are going.” The words passed with finality, as if daring me to go against them.**
 * “Why?” I spat at her. “I don’t love her; I don’t love either of them. And in case you hadn’t noticed they’ve made it perfectly clear that they don’t love me either.**
 * “June! How can you say that without realizing exactly what you’re doing? Are you so naïve that you don’t see that your own mother is leaving you? This could be the last chance you get, the last opportunity to fix things and you are not who I think you are if you will just sit here and watch her die without even trying.” Tears bubbled up into her eyes, I could tell how my decision was hurting her but there was nothing I could do. My mouth opened up to defend myself but was abruptly cut off, “Whatever June.” She said as she wiped the tears from her eyes, “but in case you haven’t noticed, mom loves you. She says that she regrets what happened between you, she just wants to see her family before…” her head abruptly whipped sideways hiding her face from my view and I knew that she was crying again. She bent down and wiped her eyes on her black tank top and stood brushing the sand from the faded blue jeans she wore on her off days. “Bye June” she said quietly as she walked away. Why is she always like this? She’ll always call me to give me speeches of encouragement and support. I can call her in the middle of the night and she will always know what to say, she will tell me to follow my heart and continue writing. Arrie will even blame our parents for what happened and say that I should never let their protective opinions influence my passion or choices. But when we are together in person she spends all her time begging me to patch the gap that has grown between myself and the rest of the family. I tell her that it’s not a gap, it’s a canyon.**

** Poems for Memorization **
**Aquellos Veranos** ** Joge Guillén ** Lentos veranos de niñez Con monte y mar, con horas tersas, Horas tendidas sobre playas Entre los juegos de la arena, Cuando el aire más ancho y libre Nunca embebe nada que muera, Y se ahondan los regocijos En luz de vacación sin tregua, El porvenir no tiene término, La vida es lujo y va muy lenta.

The poet basks in the reminiscence of childhood´s timeless and sumptuous bliss... Emotions used to be real and all-encompassing, and time used to go by so slowly that we were actually immortal and eternal – like the sand, like the sky, like the soothing coming and going of the sea...

Fireflies in the Garden Robert Frost Here come real stars to fill the upper skies, And here on earth come emulating flies, That though they never equal stars in size, (And they were never really stars at heart) Achieve at times a very star-like start. Only, of course, they can't sustain the part.