Twist of Fate
While strolling at National Book Store earlier,
this woman approached me.
I barely recognized her.
It turns out she was my former classmate at UST (University of Santo Tomas).
Since I was killing time.
I invited her for coffee at Cibo.
We started updating each other about our lives.
She is a housewife with 4 kids.
She just found out today, she's pregnant.
I naturally congratulated her.
Suddenly, she starts crying.
I didn't know how to react.
I just offered her a tissue.
It has to be told that we were never close back then. She was part of the 'popular' group.
Now she has dark circles under her eyes.
Thin as a rake.
Saddled with debts left and right.
Dejected. Frustrated. Angst ridden.
All I could do was listen to her woes.
She regrets getting pregnant early.
She laments putting her life on hold to start a family.
She also told me that this baby was an accident.
Just like the 3rd and 4th one.
How do you tell someone who is so miserable that her life is going to be alright?
That children are blessings and not accidents?
I couldn't find the words.
I just gave her a hug.
I left feeling bad for her.
But deep inside me I was very happy and thankful my life didn't turn out to be like hers!