Hope and Faith

EPILOGUE

So now you know the story of Hope and Faith. Just two girls who couldn't have been more opposite, but nonetheless brought together by more than just their secular names. They were anything but extraordinary on their own, but together, they could make a world of difference.

As Hope always said, everything happens for a reason. Sometimes you experience tragedy and heartbreak, but farther down the line, later in life, you realize that things needed to happen in order to bring you somewhere else. Who knows what Faith's life would have been like if her parents never sat down with her on the morning of June third and announced their separation.

Sometimes, we may truly believe that we are on the right path in life. We see our futures set out in front of us like looking through the end of a telescope. And we believe deeply in our hearts that this path is where life is going to take us. But then sometimes, it turns out that everything we once believed is wrong. Certain experiences needed to happen in order to lead you somewhere else, to where you were truly meant to be. But those moments in your life were not mistakes – they were simply stepping stones that needed to happen in order to lead you to where you are now. You may not understand at the time that it is happening, but later, you will look back and understand. How would Hope have ever realized that she loved Faith if she had never experienced the love from Matthew?

The harsh reality of life is that not everyone gets a happy ending. Grace Everett didn't get a happy ending. Harper and Hannah Chamberlain never even got their beginnings. Sometimes people come into your life. And sometimes, those people don't stay around forever. But it's not about how long they were there for, but rather, the impact they had on your life, how they ultimately shaped you as a person.

Tragedy and death surround us every day. But all of these things are an integral part of life. They are there to help guide us and teach us lessons. Do not look at Hope's fate as a tragedy, for even though she and Faith could not end up together, they still experienced more love than some people do in their entire lifetime.

Faith needed Hope to teach her so much, not only about herself, but about life. And even if Hope was not with her after September of 1991, she would always be with her internally; in her heart, in her mind, and in her soul.

Faith Everett learned a lot that summer. She learned to stop blaming the world and everyone around her for all of her problems. She learned to develop a relationship with both of her parents. She learned to have an open-mind, to venture out and try new things, be willing and open to new experiences.

She learned a lot about herself as a person, who she is, what she wants from life. She learned to take each day as it comes and to never regret a single moment, for one day, in the blink of an eye, it could all be gone.

Faith may not have realized her place in this world, but she still had her whole life ahead of her. The most important thing was that she discovered who she was and what made her heart full. She learned that the love you give is just as important as the love you receive. And last of all, she learned that sometimes the best things in life are the ones you don't see coming.

Hope entered her world, played her part, and changed the course of her life as she knew it. She taught her valuable lessons and made her think about things that she never would have considered before. And Faith loved her for that. She loved her more than anyone would ever know.

You don't find a love like that often. They say it's once in a lifetime. Fortunately for Faith, she still had her whole life ahead of her to remember Hope.