A chance meeting

June 1st, 2023

I am buzzing.

I am so happy and excited.

I am so emotionally joyful that I even had tears in my eyes. Happy tears.

All that stems from when an hour ago, by accident, I met a very important person to me. It was a chance meeting — I took a different route home from the one that I usually take, and being in the city center I decided to stop at the bank. As I got off my bike I heard my name being called — and I recognized her right away. She was walking down the street exactly at the moment I was there. We haven't seen each other for two years, but one look was enough for me to recognize her, even though we both have changed significantly since we last saw each other.

She was my therapist helping me come to terms with and then overcome my addiction and then lay the groundwork to keep me working on my sobriety. She worked with me in a group setting and individually. She pushed me to look deep inside to find the issues that were seriously damaging me and she pushed me to find a way to understand what I can do about them and accept the fact that I am powerless over some of them. She helped me open up — not just to her, but mostly to myself. And since I spent my adult life lying to and about myself — that was extremely difficult. And painful. But all the while, she showed me full support and helped me understand that I can have hope for my life.

Two years ago she went on maternity leave (with twins) and I found a new therapist with whom I continue my therapy. Seeing her after two years today made me realize how much gratitude I owe her. It was my hard work, but it was her guidance and therapeutic skills to make it all click and to let me be who I am today. And I wanted to say so many things to her, but we were both in a rush in a stream of pedestrians all around us. We spoke for a minute, no more than that, and went on our ways. Only after a few moments, I realized that I didn't say “thank you”, but I think she knows…