By Desiree Leong, Clarion Staff

Hope is not giving up,

Not giving in.

To let your heart let go of all the hurt,

To let your heart heal.

Keeping yourself open,

Open to new experiences.

Don’t shut out others,

Shutting out a chance to smile again.

Love is being here for you,

Being a reminder to keep smiling.

Helping to see there is more than hate and envy,

To see there is always someone there for you.

Keeping yourself free,

Free to shine light on others.

Don’t let others hurt,

Hurting others cuts further than you can see.

Brokenness is knowing you’re strong,

Knowing you can get past this.

The pain might be there,

Might hurt you still but it will show you’re still alive.

Keeping yourself true,

True to who you are.

Don’t mask your pain,

Masking it leads to more hurt.

Being human is not a mistake,

A mistake is not what you are.

Going though laughs and cries,

Through life are you made whole.

Keeping yourself to who you are,

To what you will be.

Hope, love, brokenness, being human, parts of who I am,

I am not perfect, but I am keeping myself from falling away.