My Favorite Mistake by Jessie Johnson

            My first big mistake that I made was in I was in elementary school. I started chewing in class. My dad chewed so I thought it was ok so I went and every time he got a three pack of chew, I would go and take a pack. I would start selling it in elementary school to my friends. I got caught with it about five times in class. Then I went on to middle school where I would bring smokes and pills to school. My friends and I made up nick names for everything we had. We called the pills “apples”, smokes where “cinnamon sticks”, and chew “cereal”. I got sent to detention five times. I got bored just selling so when I came to Delta I started up my gang and I started making meth and selling it.

 After a while I bought my own house with my friend. My grandma bought me a car when I got my driver’s license. I got caught two times with meth on me. I also got caught with needles. When I went to high school I would start bringing weed to school and start selling that with everything else I could. I got caught by my brother in law with a pipe and weed on me. He told me that he wouldn’t tell on me if I would stop and give him my stash, so I went and gave him two of the eight stashes I had and told him that it was all I had. He got rid of all the stuff I gave him.

After a while of getting in trouble my dad sent me to my mom’s in Oregon, to try and keep me out of trouble. All that did was getting me started in with gangs. It also got me into street fighting, which at the time was how I was getting all my income. I moved my way up from beginner to the one that everyone wanted to fight. When I was fighting I wouldn’t feel any pain, I would just go until I couldn’t go anymore. Once I was shot in the leg. I was also stabbed in the two times. I got tired of going to the hospital and paying the bills so I just started stitching myself up with fishing line. My parents started to get annoyed with me, complaining, so after a while I just went in to my house and stitched my lips shut so they didn’t have to listen to me complain.

One day I got caught beating the crap out of a kid for hitting my ex-girlfriend and I got sent me to Utah where I went to Slate Canyon. After being in Slate, I got sent to Springville O&A for 65 days. The judge was going to send me to secure care, but I asked him to send me to proctor care. So then he sent me to proctor care and Summit High School.

Going to Summit High School, I found out that I can graduate early. Right now I have been sober for 145 days. I getting in trouble was one of the best things. Because I met a girl who has changed my life for the best. She has told me that I should change and that someone cares for me. Her name is Candice she has told me everything that I have needed to hear. Also missing my family has played a big part on me. I have talked to a peer at my high school telling me to talk to people so that I don’t lose things that mean the world to me. Also my dad said that he wants the best out of me. He also said for me to do whatever my mind and heart say. My little sister keeps going in to my room and asking where I am and all that my dad can say is that I’m somewhere else and he don’t know when I’m coming back. But that’s going to change.

My Most Valuable Mistake by Matt Chercora

Stop and think, Matt, what is your next move? Do you just stay and deal with this or will you jump from the window? While I was thinking about staying and dealing with the problem I caused, in reality I just in the air for at least 3seconds. I felt the hard surface hit the bottom of my feet.

I was still running when I came back to reality. The funny part was when I was running I thought about what I would do next, even though I had a couple of hours before I jumped to think about it. I then thought about clothes and wondered why I didn’t think about packing clothes. My lungs felt like they were going to explode out of my chest. I knew where there would be cigarettes and I still had my lighter on me from when I was getting high behind the house. Then thinking about that place where there would be a cigarette and I ran to that place. I needed to get that smoke in my lungs, then I would think about what I would do next. I approached the place where my friend Killer was. As I took a drag I thought about my mom and where she would be, and then thinking about it I knew where she would be. I went walking down the road for about a half a mile then I went through an ally I knew very well. I was walking and I heard someone say ”Matt” and I thought it was a cop so I ducked real quick. My heart beat sped up real quick and I stopped breathing to hear if he was coming close to get me. Then I heard laughter and I peeked out and saw some people I knew and I let out that breath that I’d held for who knows how long. I walked up to them and asked them if they’d heard about cops looking for me and they said, “no”. I told them about how I was running from the cops. They said that I was stupid and should turn myself in and go back, but I just told them that I wasn’t going back to that place. We talked for a little bit and I told them I was going to go and look for my mom. All they said was, “ok”. 

I found myself going up a long road that led to my home town, well it wasn’t a real town but we liked to call it that. I walked for the longest time and took a break at a stump that looked like it would light on fire very easily, but I wasn’t about to draw attention to myself. I laid back for a bit and looked up at the stars and thought that there has to be a better place out in another universe. I hate that people tryed to control me and even though I showed them that I could do things by myself and can take care of myself. But in all reality, I was hurt that I couldn’t be with my mother. They say she isn’t stable but I tell them that they don’t know my mother the way I do. I wanted things to be my way and I hated the system. Thinking about this now I look back and think to myself that if I didn’t make that jump I wouldn’t know what I do now and wouldn’t have the people I have now. While I was thinking about this I heard a noise coming up the road and I hide behind the stump. I waited for the person or whatever it was to pass me by. When I started to walk again into the mist of the midnight moon towards my mother and towards the happy part of my life that I really wanted.

My Favorite Mistake by Nick Brennerman

                  My favorite mistake happen when I was eleven years old.  When I was eleven years old my parents took siblings and I to Lagoon. My parents had been planning this trip for weeks . I couldn’t wait to get there. My parents woke us up at like seven o’clock. We stay there for the entire time and almost until closing time.

                  We went on a lot of fun rides. I especially like the rapid river. There was this waterfall that just drenched me. The water was so cold, it just chilled me all the way to the bone.  I’m just glad my siblings took me on that ride because it was so hot out there I need that. Right after that we went and got some dinner from Subway, it was good.  After we had dinner my stepbrother pressure me in to going on the Wicked. This was the first day it open. The top was one hundred fifty feet in the air.

                   We had to wait for what seem like forever just to get the front of the ride. We finally got to the front of the line and on to the ride. I was so scared to get on the ride. I just didn’t want to get on the ride, it looked too unstable. I thought something would go wrong when I was on the ride, but my siblings pressured me into going on the wicked and I let them.

                  So we went to get in line. It was so long. So I told them that we should wait, but they said that this was the only time we could ride it today.  We got in the line to wait to get on the ride. It took us nearly an hour just to get to the front.  My siblings and I talked to a couple of girls that were also going to ride. The closer we got to the front, the more nervous I got. When we finally got to the front and I was being strapped, I was scared. My favorite mistake was that I didn’t pass out on the ride. Because the ride was awesome. I’m glad that I let my stepbrother to pressure me into riding the Wicked.

A Dream That Led to a Mistake Which Broke My Heat by Albina Martin

“There are always two paths.  Only you can choose which path to take.  Just make sure in the end that path won’t be a MISTAKE.”  Have you ever thought or wondered that the person you were in a relationship with, would be your “soul mate”, and then find out later they were NOT who they said they were?  I have experienced this firsthand involving my boyfriend/fiancé, and boy was it a huge mistake on my part, that I totally regret. 

I believe anything can be accomplished if you set your mind to it, have a sincere, believing heart that those dreams or goals will come true.  However, there might be those who disapprove of your dreams, because they know deep down inside that you have the great potential to make a big difference in this world. They will do everything in their power to crumble and shatter your dreams, either it is to bring you down to the depths of despair, or try to kill you.  I have had many put me down, stalked, condemned, or threatened to have me killed/raped because of my dreams.

My number one dream is to become a successful model, as well as a music recording artist, and have had many opportunities to fulfill that dream.  I auditioned for a modeling agency in Salt Lake City called “Barbizon Modeling Agency” and a week later I received an email and phone call reporting that I had made it into the agency.  I was so stoked about it that I leaped for joy and gratitude.  Since then, I have had many photo shoots with this agency, which I had a blast with, getting my makeup and hair done professionally.  This lasted for about four years, starting at the age of fourteen, going every week and posing in front of the camera for extended periods at a time, as well as recording at the studio.   It was a fantastic experience and totally so worth it!  I made friendships that would last a life time, and also made new friends, and began relationships that were either good or bad. 

But the turning point for me happened about a month ago.  I was engaged to a guy from Texas who was a rising country singer, trying to make it big in the music industry. We came in contact over Facebook through a mutual friend and we hit it off right away. Every single day, whether it was day or night, we talked and texted, and I became so enthralled with him that I hardly ate, slept, or focused on my school assignments.    He found out that I was a rising singer/model and wanted to help me be successful, so he “arranged” major modeling opportunities with American Eagle, and Victoria Secrets which I was looking forward to modeling for them.   Through all the stress, of spending many hours in front of the camera, I was having a hard time coping and stressing out so badly, that I turned to drugs and alcohol to numb the pain and strong emotions I was going through.  Every day, early in the morning, I would go to the Barbizon Agency and work, to practice my vocal training, learn how to act, or write my original music lyrics.    During all this, my boyfriend was “contacting” agencies, record labels and so forth.  We had been dating for a year and a half.   In April he proposed to me, and I told him I would have to think about it.  So a few days after the proposal, I called him up and told him my answer to him was YES!  He was so excited and told all his friends and family that we were engaged and that the wedding would be between the months of September or November.  I told my parents of my engagement, and they didn’t approve of it one bit, saying how I was not ready and mature enough for marriage.  I took no heed to their objection and disapproval of getting married to someone who I only talked over Facebook, phone, and Skype.  My boyfriend said that we should get married without my parents in Texas because in January of 2014 we were both going on tour together around the world for one whole year. We would have a two week break, in which we would start recording our music originals, so we could release our albums at the end of next year.  At that point, hearing all this, I knew my future was all planned out with many great adventures awaiting me.  I finally realized that my dreams were slowly coming true, to grow and strengthen my love of music and modeling.  I knew that now my life journey would be a challenge, but also fun and exciting. 

Our relationship was great, or so I thought, until the day before my 18^th birthday, which was on September 6^th.   I received devastating news from my biological brother, in the form of a well written letter.  My brother told me that my boyfriend was just using me for my money, lying, deceiving, and cheating his way into my life, in order to take a hold of me and control me.  All the modeling opportunities with American Eagle and Victoria Secrets, and the many record labels who wanted to sign with me were nothing but LIES!  I was so heartbroken that I started to cry, and got all pissed at him for doing this to me.  He seemed like a guy who I could trust, confide in, spend my life with, but what did he do in return?  He tore me into a million pieces and broke my trust for him completely.   All my friends and fans on Facebook and Twitter were horribly mad at him for hurting me, others, but most of all, he hurt himself in a major way.  Nobody wants anything to do with him, including me.  I totally deserve better than that.  I want a guy who treats me with the kind of respect every girl wishes, is honest, loyal, is really committed to me, and truly understands me for who I am instead of using me for my looks or body.  Now I finally realize why so many girls in the past left him after a short term relationship.  And I learned that the hard way. 

I now know that things, including individuals are NOT always as they appear or say to be.  I thought this relationship was perfect in the beginning, but I ended up in a trap that I thought I was stuck in, and had to dig deeper to get out.  My heart was broken but is now mended again with the help of a guy I am in a relationship with currently, from Summit High School.   I am happy and satisfied with this guy I am dating.  Sometimes we need to step back and look at the whole picture of our lives and all the facts, so we don’t have to get our hearts broken by someone that meant a lot to us.  We all have great potential in our lives, totally deserve to grow and learn from our past mistakes, and not repeat them ever again.