I could say life has been fair to me. Many atimes I have had some random acts of kindness done me that I feel I'm undeserving of. Whenever I'm asked to talk about compassion shown towards me when I was in dire need of one, one story readily comes to mind. It's been so often told but sounds brand new each time I tell it again. This act changed my perspective of life and taught me that everyone deserves love, mercy and compassion regardless of who they are, where they are from or what language they speak after all we are humans and we must treat each other as humans.
I remember receiving a call from my aunty on that joyous day. She had called to inform me of my new employment. A new job just few months after my graduation, heaven must love me. I packed my bags and got ready for a new life in a new place. Yeah, the job required me to relocate to a new town I've never been to but knowing fully well my maternal aunty and my cousin lives in that town gave me great assurance that my welfare shall be taken care of or so I thought.
Barely two weeks of staying with my aunty, I wanted out. You see, my new job required me to undertake a six months course. This training requires I be at the venue as early as 5:30am. This made me leave home 5am everyday and I get back 7pm. For the first two weeks, my aunty never cared if I needed transport fare. Heck! She didn't care if I ate or not but there are always piles of clothes for me to wash even at night with my broken body or an urgent market trip or a late dinner to cook. By the time I'm done, all I want to do is sleep and get some rest before it's morning again. I never complained until I overheard her phone conversation with someone. She told the person that since the stranger (me) came to live with her, her family has been in constant danger due to my opening the gate very early every morning. She went ahead to complain how her husband had stopped eating her food and sleeping in same room with her because he never accepted the stranger (me). I was astonished. I live in that house and I know all she's saying is a lie. All I could think of was, "if she wasn't okay with my staying there, why did she accept in the first place". I know I needed to leave. If her marriage is having crisis, it shouldn't be pinned on me.
I called my cousin, of cos she would be happy to have me stay with her after all we are very close. To my amazement she wouldn't pick my calls. Okay, perhaps she's busy so I proceeded to send a text message and I got this reply, "I sympathise with you my dear cousin but you see, two of my husband's siblings live with me and that's crowd enough. I hope you find a place to stay, I'll visit you soon".
Just two weeks in this new terrain, rejected by two family members, where else can I go? I don't have enough money to pay for a hotel but even if I did, six months? I took my bags to a church and narrated my ordeal. An old couple listening keenly called me aside and offered their home. Turns out they live very close to my training centre and according to the aged man, all his kids are grown and away and the house is so empty, they would love to have someone around.
This was how I went to live with them, a couple I have never met. We are not related in anyway yet they took me in. The remaining months of my training went smoothly. They made sure I lacked nothing infact I was constantly embarrassed with so much love and affection. The wife was so caring and loving and treated me like a daughter. Even when the children came around, they accepted me like I'm one of them. I ended up staying one year with them instead of six months. Today, they are my family. Family isn't only blood relations, family is that person who takes you in when all others reject you.
It is good to be good. Today, I do not hesitate to lend a helping hand to whoever I find in need. A random act of kindness can save a soul.
This is my entry for the mystery box week 6 challenge