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| Image source Facing life #together! |
It was a few years back when this incident happened that again tested our bonds of love. I was due for a promotion and this promotion was very important to me because of several reasons. I had worked very hard and so thought that I deserved the promotion. With me, my team had also given their best and with my promotion, their future was also on the line. If I got promoted then they would also get an early chance at representing themselves for a salary hike. Also my children were moving towards college and I needed a salary hike desperately so that I could handle the college fees and prepare my budget for the increased expenses. With so much at stake, I was nervous but my family, my friends and my colleagues were confident that I would get the promotion since I had topped the written and my performance reports had been impressive.
The day of the result declaration came and after a regular prayer, I went to office. My team was confident and were already congratulating me, even though the results had not been out. They were sure that the promotion was mine but the final result not only shattered this assumption, it also shattered my confidence.
My name didnt even make it to the list! I was shocked and felt numb. Everyone in my team was also left speechless. No one could believe that this had happened. I couldn't imagine how this had happened.
Shocked and crushed, I went home early that day and again witnessed the dimming of happiness and excitement in my family's eyes. Although, they recovered quickly but still it left an ugly impression on my mind. The only thing I could hear again and again in my mind was that I had failed. I was a failure.
After that day, my enthusiasm for work started decreasing and again and again I found myself reliving the shocked silence after the result declaration and the uncomfortable atmosphere at office where everyone found themselves feeling sorry for me and uneasy in my presence. It was like everyone was walking on broken glass when around me. All the whispering and unhappiness started getting to me and I found myself feeling more and more depressed with each passing day. I lost interest in work, in eating, in my family and always felt like crying, preferring to sit alone in the dark.
My wife was starting to feel concerned and I could tell that my children also felt worried about me but I just didn't want to face them. Everyday they tried to brighten my dark mood but nothing gave me happiness.
One day, my wife found me sitting alone and when she started caressing my hair and asked me what was the problem and why I was sitting in the dark, it was like a dam broke and I found myself crying uncontrollably.
I hugged her tightly while I continued sobbing loudly.
"What is the matter? Why are you crying? Please don't cry and tell me. We will sort the problem together." She soothed me while caressing my back.
Her warm voice soothed me and I told her everything that I had been feeling.
"What is this? You think just because you didn't get a stupid promotion that you are a failure?" She scolded me like a mother.
"But I failed you and my team." I told her in a broken voice.
"Shh...who told you that? Do you know that you are our hero? Our son wrote an essay on you for his school project and he doesn't think you as a failure. Do you remember when our daughter told her teacher that you were the person she wanted to be like when she grew up? Remember how proud you felt. This is who you are. An inspiring man, a good father who is a role model to his children, a loving son and my favourite husband." She smiled while I looked at her in awe.
"Now come one. Freshen up and let's go for a walk. The children will be home in a few hours so let's enjoy the alone time." She smiled as she stood up and briskly had me moving towards the washroom.
That day, as I stood facing myself in the mirror, I realized how wrong I had been. I had everything I needed to be happy in my life. I had a great family, some trust worthy friends and a job that had helped me feed my family for so long. So what, if I didn't get promoted this time. I would get many more chances to show my skills but for now, I needed to believe in myself, #lookup with optimism and be #together with the people I loved and who loved me.
My beloved wife's words saved me from drowning in a dark pit of depression and her love and support again proved that life was good when we faced it #together with optimism.
I joined office as my normal self and got promoted after a few months because of my exceptional performance. My team members also got handsome salary hikes and as they say, all ended well and we lived happily-ever-after.
My "happily-ever-after" is possible only because of God's grace who gave me such a loving and caring family that has always supported, motivated and saved me by facing life #together.
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