Category: Stories

The following day, New Year’s Day, we went shopping then had a nice casual dinner. For the rest of the week we had various fun activities planned. It was definitely a nice way to start the New Year. Thus far, it’s the best New Year period I’ve experienced. It was so perfect. Proverbs 18:22 says “He who finds a wife has found a good thing and obtains favour from the Lord”. I know she’s not my wife yet, but that’s the plan and since God knows my heart, he has chosen to bless me with his favour ahead of matrimony. Hence why things have been so great all around me since I met her. My name is Udi by the way. I just realized that I never mentioned my name.

The next Monday I resumed work. I was so elated because I had one of the best holidays ever and I didn’t have to travel out of the country to have such a good time. It was a busy Monday. There were fewer people at work than usual: some fired and some were still on vacation.   It seemed like a lot of work had piled up over the holidays because it was way too much for a typical Monday. That, coupled with the fact that there were less people in. I managed to get through the workday and as I headed out to go pick up Happiness, my boss called me aside and, without beating around the bush, told me that they had no choice but to decide to let me go. He explained why, but at that particular moment, I couldn’t hear a thing. All I thought was Why? Why me? Why now? Why did this happen when I thought everything in my life was coming together? What am I going to say to my Happiness? When I was done with my thoughts, I saw my boss stretching out his hand. He held an envelope. I guessed that was my severance package. I took that, thanked my boss and the HR personnel, went back to my desk to get my items, and left the office quietly. I was so glad that I wasn’t escorted out like some criminal like was the case with other severance situations. 

With bulging eyes I rushed home, longing to fall into the arms of my Happiness and get some comfort. I had called her and asked her to meet me at home as I had something to tell her. I got home 55 minutes after leaving work. I sat her down and told her everything that happened. She gave me a hug, got up, and walked out.

“There goes my happiness”.

I had just finished work and I rushed home to get ready for my date night. It took me over an hour to make a 20 minutes drive due to rush hour traffic. I panicked because I didn’t want to be late for my date. We had agreed that I would pick her up. Luckily I had picked out my outfit a month ago, while doing some online shopping, even though I only met her a week ago. I had waited for this date for a while now. I can clearly remember the moment I set my eyes on her. I instantly knew she was the one for me. The whole day at work I really couldn’t focus as I was very excited to have the first date with the woman of my dreams.

The next day, I went into work. During our daily meeting, my manager announced that a few people had been laid off at the end of the previous workday. I work at a huge Oil & Gas company, and like similar companies around the globe, ours was hit pretty hard by the Oil Crisis. I was glad that I wasn’t laid off, so I said a quick prayer of gratitude and began my day.

A week later, I went to my church’s crossover service. I was so excited to praise and worship God while anticipating the crossover into the new year. Unlike previous years, I didn’t come alone. I came with my new girlfriend. Ok… let’s slow down here. I know I didn’t mention anything about how the date went and what happened afterward, but I guess now that she is my girlfriend, you can put the pieces together. While it may seem like such a short time to define our relationship, the bond and connection that we have grew so strong within the little time that we have known each other. And knowing fully well that I’d love to keep her in my life, even though I had barely gotten a chance to get to know her, it was only right to make her mine. 

15 minutes before midnight, the pastor asked us to pray for two things that we wanted this new year to bring for each one of us. Trying not to be too materialistic, I prayed for humility and happiness, hoping that those took care of everything else that I could ask for. Coincidentally (or not?), her middle name was Happiness and she said that the most attractive quality in any man is humility. 

Thank you for the tears

Thank you for the pain

Thank you for the memories that I’ve tried to erase

Thank you for the gifts

Thank you for the lies

Thank you for I now have a better idea of what true love should be

Thank you

For though I was once bonded by what I believed was right, you set me free. You set me free to see the bright world outside. The bright world outside the cocoon I developed around me, based on the ridiculous expectations I set for myself. 

Thank you

For now I know that true love brings peace. Now I know that true love brings happiness. True love brings friendship. True love brings an unbreakable bond. True love brings overwhelming joy. 

Thank you

For if I hadn’t experienced what I thought to be the norm, I would not have appreciated true love when it came to me. Would I have recognized it? Would I have grasped unto it tightly and never want to let go?

Thank you for you prepared me appropriately for the bright future God planned for me.