My One Hope

Essay Writing Competition 2021
Category: 12 - 15 years
- Winner -

Essay Contest Winner is "My One Hope" written by Charles Baud

My One Hope

It is 6 in the evening and I am sitting at my desk, hoping to find ideas for my essay. Hope. Is it that little voice in the head that keeps saying: "Go for it, you can do it !" ?

So I start writing and I begin to understand that hope is more than just a little voice. Hope is the spark that appears and lights up the fire of courage and motivation to accomplish that which is perceived as "possible".

Hope appears in an Afghan girl’s head who goes on bravely with her daily duties as she awaits patiently for her rights to be recognized. Similarly, hope is certainly in the head of a soldier who fights on fearlessly, never giving up because he hopes to see his family after the war. Hope happens to every living thing in life which aspires a better situation.

In my case, I hope, beyond writing a good essay, to find a passion, a purpose to validate my existence in this crazy world. It saddens me to see that there are too many people working all day long, all their lives in jobs they do not really care for. I don’t want to be like that! I don’t want to work just to have my salary at the end of the month because, for me, it could be boring and a waste of time! We only live once and hoping that one will have a good life without living it passionately isn’t logical for me. I only have one hope and I will not let it go because if I give it up, my life will not make sense anymore. Nevertheless, hope by itself will not suffice.

When one hopes for something, he hangs on to the possibility than it can happen. Unfortunately, if he does not do what is necessary to reach that objective, nothing will happen. Hope is a message in the mind, not an action.

Consequently, since I was eleven, I have been looking for activities that could interest me based on my abilities and strengths. I have tried drawing, writing, producing music and have played many sports. Yet, I still have not found my vocation.

Thus said, I am not despairing because I have that flicker of hope at the back of my mind that one fine day, I will find my purpose on this planet.

In the Age category 12 - 15 years, Charles' essay "My One Hope" was chosen the winning essay. This essay tells us about the reflections of a student. The little voice inside tells us to not give up. Hope is guiding the way, as life has its ups and downs, there is darkness and light, but as long as we act according to our hopes and dreams we are fine.

This essay excels through his personal reflection of the topic and skilful language use. His unique and strong writing style stood out in this age group.

Well done, Charles! Thank you very much for your insights and efforts to explain what is your "one hope"! You are on the right path to find YOUR way, to lead a life with purpose, that's one thing we know for sure! Congratulations!

Charles is a student at EAC School of Languages in France. Charles' home language is French, English is his second language.

My One Hope - Winner 2021