Hope for tomorrow

I had always been wealthy. Born into a millionaire family, always having more than I could ever need. This was until those 2 policemen knocked on my door one night, explaining to me how my parents were killed in a car accident on their way home from a meeting. Only then did I understand what it felt like to have nothing. To have everything taken away from you. I didn’t even know who I was anymore. My step brother, who had always looked down on me in distaste, threw me out, to live on the streets. Alone. I was lost and afraid but I learned, as I had to, to live on the streets, stealing scraps from rubbish bins, begging for money from the richer people rushing past me.

The world seemed dark, living seemed pointless, until a little ray of sunshine scrambled into my life. Dusty was a bengal cat, who appeared suddenly one day. Funny how someone’s life can change in an instant. My life seemed a roller coaster, full of ups and downs, never sure when something will go right or terrible wrong in an instant. Dusty was one of the small uphill stages, where for a moment everything was less bad as it was before. He stood by me when I did not find any food in the bins, or when I had not made enough money for a bottle of water, or when I was threatened by someone who believed themselves superior. He was my one true friend and I loved him as so.

There were many occasions where something small would happen and it would stick with me for years after. I remember this time, I will never forget it. This old man walked past one day, and he looked at me and smiled. But it wasn’t a sad smile, like the ones I usually receive, full of sympathy and sometimes even disgust, as they look down at my ragged clothes and holey shoes. But this man, smiles with warmth, like I was the same as every other person. Not like I was homeless or alone or dirty or hadn’t had a shower or a hot meal in years. But as a normal person. I never forgot that man and the way he made me feel.

Another time, my brother walked past, wearing his expensive suit, with his thousands of dollars worth of jewellery and fabric. I didn’t call out to him. I didn’t even get up. I knew he wouldn’t recognise me. And if he did he wouldn’t care. He always hated me. He took everything from me. But instead of feeling anger, I felt sadness. The pain of seeing him walking around with my money, my families money made me sad? I didn’t understand it at the time. But now I do, as I now know the fullness of life. My brother would never understand as he strutted around in his thousand dollar suits, with so many people willing to do anything he asked. He will never understand the real, genuine happiness that I have worked hard to feel. This is why I feel sad for him, as he will never experience this.

Even thought I had lost my wealth, my family, and everything I knew I was, the little seemed more precious now then everything I had before. I learnt how to value life without having everything. How to smile and find joy in the little things. How to adapt and change my way of life, to bring the best out of me. I didn’t need everything I could ever dream of. I just needed the few things that were important to me. The things I love. The things that no matter how small they seemed at the time, made me the person I am today.