H.O.P.E.

by Jose

H.O.P.E. means Healing Of People’s Emptiness. In the Bible, it says to forgive yourself and Christ will forgive your sins. Hope means second chances that you collect and deserve. I’m filled with hope and second chances. 

This essay is for the people like the Declaration of Independence. It’s only different because those who feel lonely don’t feel free. Those feelings should change with the powerful meaning of hope and forgiveness. Hope will heal the person’s soul, body and mind. Forgiveness will clean out the sin of the blood, which will let you be cleansed out like the Holy Water. 

In my personal experience, I have been caught for a high-crime act, but somehow I’m getting a slap on the wrist for which I’m very much grateful. I ended up going to placement for a year and was in juvenile hall for the whole summer. I smiled through it all and kept my head up the entire time. I asked God to forgive me and I let Him down countless times. I deserve to be back in juvenile hall and that is why I will serve four to six months at placement again. This time, I’m not going to let down God, my sister and myself. 

I took my chance and did not own up to it. This is my millionth chance to be successful. I can feel it in the air. Yesterday was another day; today is the chance of my lifetime. I was born with high expectations by my family, that is why I have to own up to this situation. 

In the beginning of my teenage and middle-school years, I was empty. I started reading and writing, so I wouldn’t think about my life. I lost a best friend and a grandfather. Reading about the poverty and struggles of others made me realize I’m a rich kid by having to share a room with my brother. Also, having two parents in the same household. That is when I realized I should not be sad or angry. Everyday, I would show up with a smile. I even smiled when someone called me “Beaner” and my own culture called me “Gringo” because of my light skin. I enjoyed these names because I knew others were going through much worse. 

It’s funny how I smiled when I got stabbed and jumped because I knew I had H.O.P.E. and mostly importantly God on my side. I was close to death, but God gave me a second chance. 

A Poem Called H.O.P.E. 
Love, hate and appreciate 
Healing Of People’s Emptiness (HOPE)
Second chance with lots of stress 
Deep breaths but still a mess 
 
Forgiveness to the loneliness  
Smiley ‘cause of all the hope, 
Past was at the bottom rope 
Present hope at the top of the globe 
 
Blind to every other chance 
Sweaty nightmares to what he sees 
Emptiness so goes back to the clan 
Another chance broken in one half 
 
Everyone to love and not to hate 
Only themselves to appreciate 
Smile through the burning cell 
Get up even if you had fell.