[b][/b]

Rita has got the curves and they are well outlined. She dresses for it in a manner that accentuates her beauty. And this day, she didn't disappoint.

She said to me, “You can understand how it feels when you are passed over, year after year, for promotion. The dream of every professional is to rise in career ranks. I am aware promotion means different things to different people. Some want it for the money, some for the advancement in rank, and some for the bragging right that they have finally arrived. I wanted it for all the reasons. Unfortunately, the more I desired it, the more elusive it became. I searched everywhere for answers to know why I had to stay for 7 years without promotion but I drew a blank every single time. I got used to every cycle in the promotion process. You know that kind of feeling that flashes through you when the atmosphere in the office reaches a fever pitch and everyone is expecting the promotion list to be announced. Then you hear that first scream and then observe people start to cluster around certain people while grinning and uttering ‘congratulations’. This is when those like us that have a history of being passed over die one million times before they get to the end of the list.”


Rita has flipped her hair for the umpteenth time. How women do this spontaneously and repeatedly still amazes me. She continued, “I did not go through this feeling just once. I did, every single time within seven years of disappointment. The reassuring words from friends and then my boss, when I had a considerate one, would begin to give me hope again. I would live the rest of the months working hard and driving all the performance indices communicated to me- it was a crazy cycle. There were seven tortuous years but somehow I kept believing my time would come. I must state that the hardest part of the wait was to see my peers move ahead in ranks and it got so bad when some decided to rub it in my face with an obvious agenda- to slight me or get to my nerves. In one incident, I was done for the day and was walking towards the exit door to fetch my car when I realized the door was locked. When I demanded for the keys, I was told that they were with Joane, a junior by three years who got ahead of me as a result of my predicament. Joane, when consulted, instructed them to tell me to return to my seat and wait until every other person was ready to close- yes, it got to this low."

She continued, "During one of my vacations, I traveled to stay with a childhood friend for a few days. Sunday fell within the period of my visit. I was to travel back the same Sunday which happened to be the last day of the visit. I did not want to go for a Sunday service because I felt I needed to rest before taking the long trip back home. But my friend insisted and dragged me to church. During the church program, the pastor started a special prayer session. He was inviting people to the front for special prayers; though under categories. We were categorized across the sick, those that are seeking the fruit of the womb and those searching for jobs. When he was almost done, it was as if he forgot something. He turned quickly and invited those who had been passed over for promotion for a long time to come out for prayers. About 5 of us stepped out and he prayed for us. But for a reason that I have not been able to explain even to date, he singled me out and asked for how many years I had been waiting for a promotion. I recall telling him that I had waited for seven years. He responded by saying, 'everything is going to be alright. Just put your faith in God'"

She would close this way, "I got back to base and resumed work the following day. Later that Monday morning, I was told that I had a caller from the head office waiting on the phone. When I picked up the phone, a male voice came on and asked how I was doing. He asked some further questions about my job environment and how long I had been with the company. Before he dropped the phone, he introduced himself as the CEO of the company. He said that he was at the same church on Sunday when I stepped out for prayers. He promised to look into my case and equally review my performance indices. From my investigation after the call, I got to learn that it was another staff in the church that told him that I work for the company. That incident at the church revived my career. I was promoted twice in three years and was later recommended to head a new branch of the company in a neighboring city."

REFLECTION
Instead of seeing hard times as the thief that came to steal our joy and comfort away, we should take it as an experience that prepares us for what is to come. It is one of the most difficult things to do but if we can persevere long enough, the best way to handle difficult times is by just living through it by the day- don't blame it on someone, don't ask why it is happening to you and don't let it steal your sleep. Because after the storm comes the calm.

Rita told me that the experience at the church drew her closer to God, more than ever. And again, those seven years of working hard to earn a promotion and the emotional experiences she went through all came together as part of the experience she applied in her new role as the head of the new branch. As they say, hard times will run us through the mud until we get the teachings they come to instill in us.


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this story really touched me.
nice one