The first time I felt everything was crumbling around me was when I lost my job. A job I'd worked at for five years and I'd come to love. One day the company gave out a notice about downsizing and that was my last day there.
My best pal Dan who doubled as both my roommate and my coworker escorted me on my way out and he was lucky he wasn't on the list.
The second was when Marylou had broken up with me. We'd met at our favorite restaurant to celebrate our second anniversary being together and just as I was enjoying the night she dropped the bombshell on me. Apparently being out of a job for more than a year and having to support me financially sometimes was too much for her.
Oh i thought this was the lowest point in my life, but I was mistaken. Two months after I broke up with Marylou, I was taking a walk one evening when I spotted someone familiar or should I say two people in particular from the building across the road. It was Dan and Marylou having what looked like a date in a restaurant and from the body language I could sense this wasn't their first time out together.
I didn't realize when I crossed the road absent mindedly to confront them and the next thing I knew I was waking up in a white room with no chairs, tables or anything, it was just empty. The strange thing was I somehow couldn't get to any sides of the room, I could see the edges and the walls but anytime I walked towards any particular side it looked like I wasn't getting any closer.
I sat down in frustration thinking how I could get out of the room with no visible exit and that was when I noticed a folded piece of paper I was holding. I didn't remember picking up any paper but there it was in my hands. I unfolded it and on it one sentence was written You can fly easily if you let go of the excess load. Immediately I read this I noticed a window opening at the top corner of one of the sides in the room.
I knew from my previous attempts to reach the side walls that any attempts to get to the window would be a futile one. But I was confused, because firstly I wasn't carry any load that I knew of then secondly how was I supposed to fly up there when it was physically impossible for a human to do so without some sort of aircraft.
I sat there confused reading the note for what must've felt like a million times and I finally gave up. I didn't realize when I slept off and I began to dream. In my dream I was back to the day when I lost my job, next was when I lost my girlfriend and the day I spotted my best friend and my supposed ex on a date. I was about to cross the road when I woke up from the dream and I was back in the white room.
I realized immediately just how much resentment I had been keeping in my heart. Resentment for loosing my job while my friend Dan wasn't fired, resentment for Marylou leaving me when I needed her the most and resentment for what I saw happening at the restaurant. I now knew what the solution to my problem was.
If I wanted to get my life back on track I had to let go of the load of hate, anger and resentment I was carrying around. I wasn't responsible for peoples choices, but I was only responsible for mine. Immediately I thought of forgiving all those I felt had wronged me, I suddenly felt light like I had no weight and next thing I knew I was flying in the air towards the window.
Just as I passed through the window, I opened my eyes but this time I was in a hospital and the first people I saw were none other than Dan and Marylou. Apparently I'd been hit by a car as I was crossing the road and they were able to recognize me as many people rushed out to help.
As I looked at both of them I saw the mix of worry on their faces and i realized I didn't resent them. Marylou was about to apologize when I stopped her because I didn't want to know the story anymore, I was just happy to be alive.
I spent a week in the hospital before I was discharged and during that period they eventually told me how they'd somehow fallen in love. I also told Dan of my silly grudge against him for not loosing his job just like I did and Marylou for leaving me even though I knew how much of a burden it must've been taking full responsibility for all my bills. I thanked them both and wished them well.
On the day I was discharged, as I stepped out of the hospital I promised myself a new beginning. I was never going to take on unnecessary baggage that would slow my progress and flight to success.
It was time to spread my wings and Fly