I sometimes lament the fact that so many things in my life didn’t go the way I planned them. If most of them had, I would have finished BS Mathematics at the Ateneo, and by now I would be working for the Asian Development Bank, saving money to build a house and for married life.
Instead, I ended up as a call center agent, where I toiled for three years, moving up the ranks and saving enough money to start my own business. It would have been a nice alternative had the business not failed miserably that I am now selling of my computer units. To make matters worse, I resigned from work so I could open the business, and for more than a year, job offers were few and far in between. I did not accept any of them, as I resented starting all over again in the call center industry and being paid much lower than what I was already earning by the time I resigned.
I took a lot of missteps along the way, either by making the wrong decisions or not doing enough to make my decisions right. It was easier to get frustrated and blame everyone else, instead of owning up to my mistakes and recognizing the fact that not everything will really go my way.
Not a few times, I was on the verge of giving up, but I realized that doing so will not make things better. My dreams are bigger than my failures, and my faith is greater than my struggles. I decided that while there are many things that can take me down, for I am as vulnerable as anyone else, nothing will keep me down, for I will always get back up.
I have gone through so many hardships in my life, especially in the past year. But I appreciate the fact that I experienced all those things, because I was able to test the strength of my character and my resolve. And I am pleased with the results, for the worst times have brought out the best in me. If I was able to remain hopeful and positive even when there was nothing but darkness around me, I can only imagine how much more I could be now that specks of light are starting to brighten my surroundings.
I do not believe in luck, but I know that everything can change in an instant. And for me, that moment was when I decided that I will beat the odds and continue pursuing my dreams. I’ve just signed a job offer from a financial research firm that would pay me more than what I received from my previous employer, and I am also accepting writing tasks that would help me improve my skills as a writer. Aside from that, I am now undergoing training to be part of my church’s newscast as a correspondent.
I am very happy with these developments, but I know that there will still be roadblocks along the way. But I am sure that I will never back down anymore from any challenge, I can take on anything that life will put me through, for I am guided and assisted by Him who wants nothing but the best for me. Things are finally starting to look up.
