The following poem was written by a young lady who has lived at New Life Children’s Center in Canyon Lake for the past nine months. A judge sent her to New Life after she was arrested and jailed for assault and battery. Like so many New Life residents, she arrived with a chip on her shoulder and a past full of pain. Anna (not her real name) has come a long way. She loves to write and read poetry, and the following poem tells her story, and how God and New Life have changed it.
I remember my past like it was yesterday
I remember my mom, always working, every day
Growing up was hard, gotta cook, gotta clean
I felt like I was the mother taking care of my siblings and me
So I started to drink and smoke to ease all the pain
It worked for awhile till I started to go insane
Went to jail 5 or 6 times and thought my life was done
Then I came to New Life and found my life again
Now I look forward to the future and forget about the past
I found a new life and with Jesus – it will last!
Trying hard and persevering to make my family proud
Sticking to my morals while others follow the crowd
Standing strong, gaining respect, earning trust and staying true
Building blocks and paving paths and growing up is hard to do
I never thought my pain would go away as I despaired
So I’d like to say a thank you to all of those who cared!
