Essay About Second Chances

Ever since I was young, I was taught that everyone deserves a second chance to redeem themselves of what they truly believe is right. Growing up with a younger brother challenged me, as I always loved being the center of attention before he was born. Sharing with him was a struggle, as it often turned into screaming, hitting, and arguing, having to be broken up by my parents. I never agreed with his ways of life and he never agreed with anything I said or did, or so it seemed. In one incident, I can remember screaming that “I was born first so I deserve the toy” as my brother, Benny, let out a wail and continued to cry. It was almost like I never gave him a chance, a chance to let him be the loving and caring brother he has grown up to be.

As we have matured, I have come to realize what I did wrong as a child. I never gave him a chance, therefore after learning lessons from my parents at a young age, I was determined to give him a second chance. This time I would allow him to be the brother I know he truly wanted to be, a shoulder to cry on when someone upset me, and, even though at the time he was a head shorter than me, a protector against anyone who wanted to hurt me. I have learned so many valuable lessons from my childhood, but giving second chances, I believe, can take you places and build your character immensely. Never had I thought sharing a toy would bring me to this conclusion, but the idea of second chances has brought me to be the person I am today.

Whether it’s as simple and cliché as an ice cream shop giving you a new scoop of ice cream after your original scoop topples to the ground, or as meaningful as a broken friendship that needs stitches, a new chance makes for the best results. Being optimistic and open to change is always going to be beneficial, because change is a part of growing up, having new experiences and meeting new people. These new experiences shape the way you think and as I have grown up, I have tried my hardest to allow change to alter how I view people and places.

Additionally, no one was made to be the perfect super-human who always makes the right decisions. Every single person has their unique ways of living, some more unforgiving than others. People overtime form relationships with other people, but personalities can clash, giving way to arguments that can sometimes affect the relationship permanently if second chances are not given. As I formed relationships growing up, I also experienced fights, but luckily, I allowed for second chances and got through all the rough patches so far. All throughout elementary school, I was attached at the hip to a girl by the name of Sarah. We acted alike, we dressed the same, and most teachers even thought we were twins. We spent almost every afternoon together, whether it was working on homework or climbing in the tree in my front yard for hours. There was something about our personalities that just clicked. Up until February 16th, 2017, all was good, we had fought a few times over small issues, but never have I experienced something so immature and unnecessary.

Feeling insecure is a normality these days, making it easier for bullies to get what they want out of people, and around this time I was extremely insecure, making it easier for Sarah to pick on me. Her personality completely changed and we no longer were as close as we used to be. Overtime, she got all my friends to go against me and she tormented me daily about everything from my grades to what I wore. I was not only upset, but confused as to why she would do this to me, as I struggled throughout the rest of the year to regain my friendships with my other friends. Although I was extremely hurt, I did not let my anger get the best of me and after a year of not speaking, I reached out to Sarah and explained to her that I wanted to give her a second chance. If I had not reached out and asked for this second chance from her, we would not be where we are today.

Not only have I given second chances, but I have also received multiple chances throughout my life, even in school. Most teachers’ main goal is to see their students succeed, and sometimes this is done by allowing them a second chance at their work. Personally, I have been in multiple situations where I was not prepared for an upcoming test or simply did not understand the material, but took the test anyways. As a result, I received poor grades, but my teachers knew that I was much more capable than what I got as a grade. Although I do believe that grades do not define someone, I wanted to prove to my teachers that I was capable when they allowed me a second chance to redo the work. Whether I could retake a test or submit homework late, these second chances gave me the opportunity to be the best student I could be in school.

Everyone makes mistakes that may affect their current situations, but at the same time, everyone should learn how to respond to the outcomes that come from their mistakes. By allowing someone a second chance, they can see that they matter and that what they do is important to you. It is important to let someone prove themselves because they might not be the same person they were when they made the mistake in the first place. As life goes on, people truly do change.

I am a firm believer that everyone deserves more than one chance in life. People tend to grow on what they have done and by allowing someone another chance, they can achieve their true and full potential, and that is what the world needs. Everyone should be proud of themselves and feel that they have been given the chance to be their best self, and this I believed as a child, I currently believe and will continue to believe for the rest of my life.