When Defeat Became Your Victory

With the rustling, not of the winds, but of her rusty electric fan, she woke up in what others call as – “The Day.” Slowly opening her eyes, her alarm reads 5:00 am. She sits up, opened the lights, and started her devotion. A good dose of encouragement, strength, and confidence from the good Lord would be of great help. This is “The Day.” The day she would venture out and try her profession within the corporate world.

So in a quick span, she’s dressed; glammed up from head to toe. She’s stunning. :) And with a wave of goodbye, she’s set. In an adventure that no one, not even her, could tell of what could happen.

She reached the station of the bumpiest train in town. Oh she could have ridden buses but the hassles of traffic waits. So she waits, till puffs of smoke signify the coming of the train. She steps in, no; she was automatically pushed inside by passengers who live with this way of transportation on a daily basis. So she’s inside, the door closes, and the roller coaster begins.

On the fourth station, her station, the train halts. She finally stepped down from the train wondering if her lungs are still intact. Inhale, exhale. Ok, she can breathe. The train is crowded that the passengers are so much compressed. Thankfully her lungs are never flattened. Praise the good Lord.

Now her feet walked. And walked. And walked. And walked. And walked. Passing big establishments, in what seem like an endless road. Dear reader, she honestly doesn’t know the exact location of where she’s going. So she walked, and asked. Walked and asked. Walked and asked.  With thirty minutes on the clock she then wonders if she could still make it. Her trusty, now not so trusty, doll shoes made small scrapes (or paltos in Tagalog) at the back of her ankles. Sweat drips down her forehead, smudging away what make-up she wears. But the walking and asking continued. Till she found it, praise the good Lord, the yellow building. 

The glass doors opened. She was led to the 6^th floor. Another glass door opened. She went inside. “I’m for interview”, she chirped. The lady at the desk handed her something to fill up. She found a seat next to good soul who was also for interview. And she realized there are also two more good souls in the room, also for interview.

Time ticked, they were led inside a room to take the exams. Oh she honestly enjoyed it. Mental exams are her thing. Hours after, the lady at the desk told them to wait for the interview soon shall start. A man in black came in, stating their names in the order of the interview. When all she thought she would be called first, the man in black told her to come back in a couple of hours. Disappointed? Maybe. She walked so far to reach the place in time. Now, she’s last to be called. Praise the good Lord, she believed He have good reasons.

So she ate lunch first. Together with two angels, in the form of her cousin and church mate, they went to a place famous for its arch. While eating, one angel gave her good news of opportunity in their place. The other agreed and told her to give them a copy of her credential. Interestingly, she did.

They spent the hour happily exchanging happy stories. But she has to bid them good bye and be back to the yellow building.

So she’s back. She went in, taking notice of the addition of more good souls. But she found a place where she can sit, and she patiently waited for her turn. A couple of more hours ticked by. Her hands became clammy and cold as she realized her turn to be called is near. But she tried to be calm. The man in black stepped in, finally he called her.

The interview was a breeze. She answered confidently. An angel told her it is a plus if she could make the interviewer smile. She made him laugh with antics she never knew she had.

After that, she went back to the waiting area. A second interview that would determine her fate is at hand. The clock ticked more hours. A lady in pink shawl called her at last.

They entered a room, sat down in chairs and the second and last interview went on.

Things became a blur. It is not something she, and no one, ever expected.  She tried to speak only to find nothing to voice out. She racked her brain of recent medical-surgical thoughts she might answer to the lady with the pink shawl. She tried. She asked. She answered. But only to meet more questions. And none seem to be of approval. The lady spoke of questions she hardly could even answer.

She found her spirit dampened by every cold breathe she let out. She found her heart sinking with every minute she spent with the lady in pink shawl. She even came to point of wondering why she even took nursing.

Grasping whatever bravery she still has, she asked the lady in pink shawl if Sunday will be a free day the moment she will be hired. The lady in pink shawl explained that she could never guarantee that Sundays will be free.

Without any assurance of being accepted, she picked herself up, thanked the lady in pink shawl still, and walked out the door. In company of a good soul, she went home. Praise the good Lord for there is someone to accompany her home. She could have ridden the bumpy train again.

But wait, something is wrong. Something is terribly wrong. She felt light. She feels okay. She feels different. She could have been ranting about what the way the lady in pink shawl treated her, she could have been in a very bad mood and be even in tears, right now. But she doesn’t. And she feels, she never will.

She felt the strong will of the Lord has worked upon her life in that very moment. She felt the reasons of the good Lord why all the delays of the day had happened. She felt that it is He that is moving all this time. She could have pouted, could have cursed everyone she’ll meet along the way. But she did not. She smiled and welcomed her fate. “The good Lord will never fail those who love Him”, she thought. “Maybe this company is really not for me. Sundays are not free. And I will never trade Sundays again for whatever reason. It is for the Lord; only for Him. For this might be defeat in the eyes of the world but standing for the Lord will never be defeat in His eyes.”

She went to bed that night. Sleeping soundly, smiling sweetly, for she knows the good Lord is working out something greater for her. :)

Her angels.