And I would like to share one of the experience here with my readers.
This was in the 1997 year when I newly migrated in Toronto, Canada. As part of an immigrant I went through the initial struggle and that time I got a job of a Cashier in a Swiss Restaurant which was part time on minimum wage.
This is that time when I was struggling to meet the ends as the moment you land you have bills to pay for your stay, phone, grocery etc. I remember no matter what but I always made sure the rent money is secured and available in my bank account because I was worried about two things here, first insufficient funds fine those days was $25 and that insufficient could be .50 cents or a $1 but the fine is straight $25 out of your account. Second, if I am late on my rent I won't have a roof on top of my head.
When you are alone in a country and nowhere to go then its really tough because you can't even go to anyone asking for help in need.
"The trouble is, you think you have time" ~ Buddha
It was one of those moments when I was short of $5.00 in my account for the rent cheque to clear. And I was literally worried because I know the date when the rent would go from my account and there was no salary or deposit that was going to go into my bank account. I was literally panicking because something like this has never happened but this time I had to purchase the bus pass and $84.00 was used to for the monthly bus pass and probably that caused all this. But those days banking experience that I had in Canada was really different than what I used to have in India. I never had to pay a service charge to my bank for keeping my money. It was considered as a favor that I chose them to save my money. Hence $5.00 service charge was something that might have done this, but anyhow I was short of $5.00 for my rent cheque to clear and I was calling all kinds of Gods if they ever existed or I was begging the Time to be on my side and believe me I was asking for that help from my heart and without knowing who would understand my sad situation because I am praying and requesting in my mind and heart.
"If you don't believe in miracles, perhaps you've forgotten you are one"
People do believe in miracle and yes, I also somehow believe in that. As I was stressing inside my heart and mind that 'if there's a God or supernatural powers then you should help me, look at my situation'!
And in few seconds or minutes I heard the mail slit on the door of apartments where postman slips in your mails, a sound came and I ran towards the door.
I saw an envelope near the door and quickly opened it to see and guess what? You won't believe it because I couldn't believe it either at that time. My ask for the Time was to help me with $5.00 as I am short of that and the envelope had a cheque for $10.00.
I don't know about you, but I was on cloud nine. It's unbelievable that you ask for $5 and you get $10? I couldn't believe my eyes and hence I looked at the letter that was enclosed with the cheque and it said, this is the interest of your rent deposit.
Mind Blowing! I said, Canada I love you! Because when I went to rent this place I forgot that I had to deposit the first and last month rent and this is part of their security as they don't know if we will give them the rent every time and on time. And look at their decency, they give you interest on the amount that we have kept with them as deposit.
"Time is free, but it's priceless. You can't own it, but you can use it. You can't keep it, but you can spend it. Once you have lost it, you can never get it back." ~ Harvey Mackay
It was winter time and hence I just grabbed my jacket, muffler and my winter boot and rushed to catch the bus as the monthly pass allows you to travel to and fro n number of times. I deposited this cheque into my bank account and with great relief came home and slept peacefully.
The rent cheque got cleared and my bank account was with $5.00 balance in it.
I do believe time do test us sometimes but yes, this time do work with us for us sometimes too :)
~ Dawn
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