Tuesday, August 23, 2016

Some moments in life change everything



If you're lucky, it'll only feel like a slap in the face with a wet fish: your crush never called back. Or maybe your sleazy undeserving colleague got a pay raise and you didn't.

Or it could be more significant. Your wife dumping you after 25 years of marriage. It could be the death of someone you loved more than you knew was even possible.

Mine was somewhere in-between.

After my husband suddenly left 2,5 years ago my world had crashed - a plane in some godforsaken place leaving no survivors.

Only apparently there was one.

After I finally realised what happened, well, I had no choice. I had to start... to keep going despite the odds. Where I was going I had no clue but I knew staying by the wreck wasn't going to change anything.

I put some make up on. A smile, too. I probably still smelled of airplane fuel and ashes when I nervously sat opposite  *Him* - my first date since I was 17 and hopefully my new Mr Right.

New Mr Right is great. We spoke about children. We moved in together after a year. A flat with a garden, in a villa, in Paris. My life is going perfectly well and --WRRrrrAam!!!

The sound of a car braking frantically but it's too late. No passenger survived.

Hang on. I've done this before. Stand up, get the dirt out of your face... You're single. Again.

Fast forward to present time. Four months later my skin is glowing and my hair flies in slow motion as I walk down the street. My smile reveals perfectly white teeth (I made sure not to have salad) and there's some beautiful background music.

Did I just shoot a TV ad? No. Did I meet another guy? Double no. But I'm in love, yes. In love with my life.

There are those moments when the worst has passed and you know you've learned your lesson.

I've learned to celebrate every instant. I've grown to become my own best friend -because that's the only friend that'll never leave me. People come and go, they bring us love, hate, happiness, sadness. At every turning point of fate you'll find something positive. Even death. Yes, even death.

I've lost my father when I was 15. What could possibly be positive about that... ?!

I'm thankful for the memories I got to keep. I'm thankful our lives crossed and that we were given to walk alongside the same path even if it was "too short". This lesson made me more sensitive towards other peoples' suffering.... and I've learned there's nothing and nobody we can ever take for granted. Circumstances change before you can even snap your fingers.



There is no such thing as failure, only successes and lessons.





(photo credit Rodney Dean)