Salome - Dreams and Reality

Dreams and Reality

22^nd Nov 2019

Time for another story:

Salome just turned 40. She worked as a temporary worker in the office of a local furniture shop. She had no children. She was never married and lived alone. That was her life; a life she was not happy with.

After school she began studying to become a primary school teacher. The first two semesters were fantastic. She was happy. She knew this was the right job for her. But then her life turned upside down. Her parents had a serious accident. The insurances didn't work out, so 2 months later Salome was left alone with parents in need of care.

She didn't get any help with the little money she had at her disposal. To get some money, she worked as a waitress in a restaurant. The tip was good, but it wasn't enough. She had to break off her studies in order to look after her parents.  Her dream of working with children came to an end. Therefore she was even more looking forward to having her own children one day.

Salome has always had a penchant for languages. She loves to communicate in different languages. When she went to high school, she signed up for a Portuguese course. But among almost 200 classmates she was the only one who was interested. The course never came about and so she was assigned to the economics course. The next dream burst.

When her parents died a few years after the accident, Salome had very mixed feelings. She mourned, but was happy and glad that her parents no longer suffered. The time she invested in taking care of them she could now use otherwise. And so she ventured more among people and developed new relationships.

She met a man. He was athletic, educated and had a good heart. She knew immediately that he was the one. With him she wanted to have a family and grow old. But after 3 years, when she hardly could have been happier, he left. He never said goodbye. And so Salome bitterly left this relationship.

She needed a new neighborhood. She moved and looked for a new job. She got one and since then has been working as an office employee, working on the paperwork of a furniture shop. Salome was unhappy and lost all hope of ever making one of her dreams come true.

A few years passed. Today, Salome lives in Brazil. An old colleague and good friend from her days as a waitress had contacts to an aid organisation that works with people in the poor regions of Brazil. People who no longer have a home. Among them many children, many sick people. They were looking for someone for bookkeeping; with passion and experience.

She was invited to a interview and was hired immediately. Today, her work is her family. She is surrounded by children she loves as if they were hers. She works with Brazilian people, having incredible conversations; in their language. And she can use the knowledge and experience she has gained over the years. Today her life makes sense; her whole life. And Salome is happy.