winged creatures of zest, midnight, fusha, scarlet, cobalt, and amethyst. they glide through my backyard through spring and autumn, as i tell myself, "look at it go!" and so it flew, as so did she. for how i wished she would not have departed from a basin of tranquility for their vile persona. i called her "the butterfly girl" because even at her most graceful, she would always fly to him. rain or shine, he would somehow always be there. waiting, watching, waiting. any eye cascade, him. any scrape, him. any scar, him. yet i did not desire to be him, nor did i want her in my arms. weren't we friends? like a butterfly, she escaped from what restricted her from movement, and liberation itself, yet moved her closer to discord. for he would gaze at her breasts more than her sepia eyes. as i tell her of his orbs shifting like a degenerate, she smiles at me, stating my truth is lies. i then realized that i was her cage, and he was her garden. because the more i watched her fly, the less she came to me for safety. and while cages restrict movement, i would never hold her back. i want to consider myself as her last hope, because you can get lost in the garden awed by fruits and daffodils.

My childhood babysitter had a five-gallon water jug containing pennies from different decades stacked on top of each other in the upstairs bathroom. Whenever I strolled in, I wondered why someone possessed those pennies, especially when one hundred of them equaled a dollar. When I asked my mother why someone would collect those pennies, she introduced me to saving as much as possible. My mother told me, "Every bit counts." Her statement would then transition into the most significant financial advice I had ever received, as I realized the importance of her words at the age of sixteen. The idea of living a comfortable life is one that all people strive to achieve to provide for themselves and their families. While I grew up in a household where my parents did not bawl at the dinner table over their monthly bills, I now realize that they did not meet these financial tribulations because of how they established their earnings. "Every bit counts" applied to how my parents divided their money. Budgeting and using coupons were essential for my mother, who taught me that when you save on one thing, such as groceries, you can use the rest of your money towards something else. The financial advice my mother gave me allowed me to understand that the money we earn could be used to save for our education, home, necessities for school, food, and clothing. When you save as much as possible, you create memories from traveling and spending time with your loved ones, as this all originates with simply saving a few pennies.

When I was ten years old, I told my mother that I would give twenty dollars to every homeless person I saw if I became wealthy. Although I am currently a student with 38 dollars in her wallet, what I lack in funds, I provide service. The realization of my privilege made me feel that I had to do more to assist these people in unfortunate situations. After all, Princess Diana once said, "Carry out a random act of kindness, with no expectation of reward, safe in the knowledge that one day someone might do the same for you." Before I turned 13, I was introduced to a soup kitchen led by the pianist of my church. It was the first time I was revealed to an environment of hungry people and shivering bodies, yet they were optimistic. I did simple tasks like serving a plate of a delicious meal or giving women socks and sanitary items. But to them, it was as if I was some angel sent from above when I gave them these items. I had never seen people smile as brightly as those who had less than me. You could donate all the money you have, but it is not what generosity should only mean. Generosity is a homecooked meal for someone in need, a warm cotton sweater, or a set of legos for a child. It is about helping someone translate something into a different language or tutoring a younger child. It's about love and not expecting anything back. It is more than the quality of being kind, it is the quality of providing more for humankind.

A curly-haired Latina woman in her late 20s arises within the cotton bedsheets from the warm star's rays. The comfort of her dwelling pushes her to do a 7:00 morning jog before eating a homemade yogurt parfait. In her minimalist apartment, she obtains a white wooden shelf displaying her framed undergraduate and graduate degrees from the universities that made her pursuits a reality. She walks out the door exhilarated rather than fatigued, as she is an essential component of The New York Times. She reveals the truth about ghastly events, shares about people who need assistance from their town, and investigates what is occurring in their society. She works on her second novel in her spare time and volunteers at the soup kitchen in Hoboken, as she did during her teenage years. She assists high school students with their college preparation, ruminating about the person she was ten years ago. On Sunday mornings, she drives back to her hometown, carrying a basket of Latin American pastries for her parents, the people that made everything possible for her. My dream life consists of achievement rather than affluence. While others believe that to feel elated, money is the only factor that should contribute to that. However, I have thought about college more than becoming wealthy in my teenage life. I wish to share my knowledge, devotion, and ideas with the people who need them in the future. "Work hard now, and all of it will pay off," my mother tells me. A dream life should not be called a "dream life." It should be "your future life" because persistence and a plan will make them possible.

My mother would frequently tell me, before I turned 13, “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” Before hearing these words, I did not fully understand the meaning of what had to be done in the first place. Was I to give something to someone for something back? My mother then told me that if I wouldn’t like something being done to me, I should not do it to someone else. Being kind to someone was meant to demonstrate respect rather than personal gain. I noticed that people were only kind because they wanted something out of it, not because they genuinely wished for a connection with that person. I then learned that this statement my mother had told me would have to be applied to any situation. At any given location to any person I met, my first instinct was to greet them, smile at them, and make eye contact. I was to ask for their name and how their day was going. Although some might label this as respect that should always be done, not all people receive such kind regard. Over the years, kindness lead to authentic connections with adults and people my age. Formal and informal, respecting others is not being a forgery. Doing good onto others is the beginning of the road, leading to a destination of sincerity.

When I was younger, I had difficulty forgiving what people did to me. Whether it was bullying or a terrible joke, some things angered me. I would lash out to friends and those who hurt my feelings. As time passed, I noticed that certain things did not matter. By forgiving others, I began to not feel consumed by a grudge, a sharp pain in my body and even made up with certain people. There were days when I wanted to shout at the person that harmed me. Moreover, letting go of the past is something I do not see most people having. Forgiveness is valuable because it shows maturity. It demonstrates putting aside feuds that happened years or even months ago. Being a forgiving person is a radiance that most people, unfortunately, take for granted. There are moments when I suddenly remember an unpleasant memory, as I learn that none of that will matter in years from now.

If you knew me as the second-grade girl who read "The Magic Treehouse" series and refused to go outside for recess, you wouldn't believe that I already knew what my legacy was. My mother, who was an immigrant, ensured that her children would have the education that she began to teach. Her teachings became the origin of a dexterity that I soon accepted as a talent. At the tender age of eight, I knew what I was meant to leave behind: my writing, writing that ranged from children's fiction to articles, to poetry. Writing that ranged from the heartbreak of fictitious characters, the callous treatment of minorities in our society to the aspects of mental health in teenagers, was something I began to share. To guarantee this legacy, I created posts of my poetry on Instagram at fifteen. This was the start of showing people that were not my family the work that I do. Authors are people that write and have a story, as those stories are remembered. As it is still a dream of mine to be a published author, it is still in process. Legacies are a progress. I hope to implement a transparent message to anyone that reads my words. Initiating this legacy was a way for me to document my progress as a person, as I wish numerous people to become inspired by my present and future work.

She was the first completed creation from the egg that originated from Peru, accompanied by the other half from the island of Puerto Rico on April 11, 2005. Her dark brown curls would dance when she lifted her black pen, eagerly scribbling her prose onto her cerulean notebook. If you let the pages run through your fingers, she wrote about the inequality towards women, discrimination towards people of color, and mental health. From the day she wrote in preschool, Jodi Velez did not end this sudden passion. She scoured for inspiration in unlikely locations, yearning to use that for her future published manuscript.

“Jodi, are you sure you don't want to work with a partner?” A teacher had asked me this during my 8th grade English class. I smiled at her and responded with, “No, I am all right.” People assumed that when I worked alone, I either kept the answers to myself or did not have friends. However, being independent was more than being remembered as the “shy girl” in middle school. It did not make me disconnected from people, as it allowed for self-exploration and serendipity. Independence traces back to days in the classroom where I wrote my responses, feeling the breeze sprint past the desks. I felt that I was embracing my mind and soul into one, and being more comfortable in my skin. It was the smile on my face when someone read a poem that was created by me. It was to work on a task without requiring assistance from others, a skill we must someday put to use. I learned that not everyone has the opportunity to be liberated as me, having to obey callous regulations that prevent living, rather than surviving. Without the freedom to do so, people are unable to prosper with their aspirations. So when I walk into a classroom, I work for the children who cannot. On the days when I decide to withdraw from the crowd, I think about how someday, the effort I am doing as a 21st-century teenager could embolden others. People in this world do not get that chance to be in a classroom itself. I hope that being self-reliant is seen as a beautiful human aspect of life. Being individualistic has molded me into the person I am, for my family and the next generations to view.

It was she who changed my perspective of life, the girl who perished on the soil of Bergen-Belsen before adulthood. Upon her several diary entries, she wrote a line that delivered inspiration. Written by Anne Frank, a quote that influences me is, "I want to go on living, even after my death." Unintentionally alluring, it became a redundant phrase in my mind. Once my eyes became drawn by her words, it set forth this ideology that began when I was twelve. Anne Frank was a girl I wish to have met. Her mindset was one that I wanted to adopt: a young woman who spoke her mind. This quote became a reminder that accomplishments are what live on. Our flesh is the only exterior that protects our mind and heart. Without them, we would be unable to function and produce new ideas for our future. Unfortunately for Anne Frank, she was unable to continue her passion for writing after being caught in the Secret Annex. Moreover, this quote expressed how personal goals should not be for the validation of others. It is one idea to see others proud, but to spend time focusing on personal goals follows us until our passing. Furthermore, I would not be the person I am without the significance of this quote from Anne Frank's diary. Growing up, I was dedicated to doing my best in school. Education was what encouraged me to find my purpose in life. As I studied the different subjects throughout primary school, I found writing as my form of expression. As I continued to write into middle school, it made me realize that I yearned for people to understand my words. For others to be inspired by poems written as a teenager brought me optimism. My ambition for becoming an author was a way for me to leave a part of myself behind. Even if one day at the least expected, my breathing comes to an end, the words I wrote is what would forever remain.