Give Us Hope

The whispers of my heart speak so softly…

Are they really there if no one hears them?...

My voice is so small, and so soft… can you hear me?

Give us hope, and we'll show you the way.

It was another dark night on the streets of London England, probably a bit over a hundred fifty years ago. A young girl, Rose Fleming, and her mother mourned over the death of the father from an unknown disease, their loss of a home and everything they owned. They held to each other strongly and sobbed. What hope did they have? A young girl and a woman. In this time, how would they live now?

Their crying subsided when a kind old woman and her granddaughter approached them and asked them if there was anything she could help them with. Once she heard they had lost a home, she offered for them to live with her. Although her home wasn't big, nor did she have much space for them, she still generously invited them to live with her. Rose and her mother accepted gratefully.

Rose and her mother went out during the day, desperately trying to find a job, something to repay the family they now lived with. However, neither could find a job. Always, they arrived home, the old woman and her family's home, guilty and disheartened.

Late at night, Rose would pray to God and her father above in the heavens.

"Listen to the sound of my voice. Can you feel the beat of my heart? Listen to the questions I have! Listen to me! It's all very simple to see what we need. Lord, give us hope. My voice is calling. Can you see? Look in my eyes. Can you feel? My hand is reaching for Your love. We need Your help, Lord. Give us hope, and we'll show you the way." Always, she prayed.

A fortnight passed, and the mother had found a low-paying job selling flowers. What other choice could they have had? Still, it was not enough to buy food themselves, find another home, or repay the family of the kind old lady that had taken them in. They were not rich either, yet they offered a home to them. This disheartened the Flemings even more, as a poor family was giving up what they had to feed them.

It was yet another day, and Rose again attempted to find a job. It was yet another time she was turned down. Her hope had left her. She felt empty… She gazed up into the sky and prayed again to God, the same prayer she had prayed every night.

"Give us hope. My voice is calling You. I'm calling. Can you feel the beat of my heart? It's pounding. Listen to the questions I have. Just listen." she continued to pray.

Once again, prayer had helped her relax, and again, she set out to find a job, her hope now renewed. But yet, again, Rose was rejected. She was told that someone older and more 'experienced' should apply for the job.

"OLDER?" She burst. "Listen to me! We, my peers and I, are the future!" Rose cried loudly, "Help us believe in ourselves! After all, one day, we will be the ones running the shops!" Without letting the storekeeper reply, she stormed out.

The moment she was certain the storekeeper could not hear or see her, she fell and began to cry in the middle of the street. No one minded her as they continued on their way. She cried. She had lost her mother's last hope, another job, and her own hope was diminished so low that it was hard to keep believing in herself.

"My dear, are you alright?" A kind voice asked Rose. Rose wiped her tears away and looked up at the gentle face that towered above her.

"Yes, I'm alright. Thank you," she whispered, trying to convince herself as well. The woman frowned and offered a hand to help her up. Rose smiled at the woman and got up. "Thank you." she whispered again. Rose invited the woman, whose name was Mrs Maylie, for a cup of tea at home to thank her for her kindness. Mrs Maylie politely agreed, already taken to Rose.

"Well… This is home." Rose said sheepishly, hoping that Mrs Maylie didn't mind.

"Rose, you're home. Did…" Rose's mother trailed off when she saw that Mrs Maylie was there. "Hello," Rose's mother said politely. She could immediately tell that this woman was quite wealthy because of the clothes that Mrs Maylie wore.

"Hello," Mrs Maylie smiled and nodded at Rose's mother, "Are you Rose's mother?" They confirmed that it was true. Frowning slightly, Mrs Maylie surveyed the living environment.

"Would you like to come live with me, Rose?" Mrs Maylie asked, and smiled kindly. Almost instantly, Rose's face lit up, but thought for a moment and looked towards her mother, who had frozen. Rose felt her stomach twist. She hoped with all her heart that her mother would agree. Her mother watched Rose's expression. When she saw how hopeful Rose was, she smiled and agreed.

Rose leapt with joy and embraced Mrs Maylie. Tears streamed down her face as she kissed her mother's cheeks. Her mother cried with Rose and enfolded Rose with the same joy.

'Thank you, Lord, for giving me this hope, for giving me this path. Thank you. Father, I finally found somewhere I can go…' her heart cried happily.

Rose lived happily with Mrs Maylie, with renewed and sustaining hope for the future. Soon to realize she was part of something so much greater, and married. Rose was going to live a happy life because of hope, and with it.

Of all the feelings that a young person can have, there is one that makes life seem desolate… empty…

And sometimes not even worth living… When it is not there: "Hope"

Hope for the future… Hope to be loved… Hope to be heard…

When children are without hope, they are robbed of one of the most defining parts of their childhood…

We must never underestimate the power of giving hope to a child.

*Italicized words are from a song called "Give Us Hope". (Jim Papoulis, Leo Schaff & Regine Urbach)

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I realize that you can't see the italicized words... Which really sucks. & the stuff isn't centred properly either. So, if you're curious enough, please go to this site to read the story: http://www.fictionpress.com/s/2388614/1/

It's an old story I've written a while ago. I can't believe I haven't posted it on WeLoveStories, but here it is. I think I've improved since then. =] Thank you for reading. <3