Chapter 9 - Connect The Dots

John's eyes grow bigger... "Since when you become so wise, bro?"

Romeo smiled. "I'm not that wise. Sometimes it's easy to connect the dots when you are just the observer and not in the situation itself. Since I'm the outsider my mind can process things clearly but you can't... because you are part of the situation so you are emotionally and psychologically bound to things and just reacted with emotions rather than logic..."

John released a deep sigh. "I dunno, sometimes when the things in my life get so hard when my wife was kidnapped and then my brother committed suicide, they all happened in the same year... I think life is unfair and the trials are too much for me to bear..."

Romeo smiled. "Yeah, sometimes we think life is unfair, but since we are both Catholic I guess you are familiar with the way the son of God, Jesus Christ was tortured and died on the cross, can you imagine that? God allowed torture and death to his only son, he was capable of sacrificing his only son without mercy, and do you think we would be spared of the hard trials as well? I think not, well, the good thing is Jesus was resurrected after three days and was now with his father in heaven, just think of the great sacrifice that God has to put his only son to death and torture just to redeem our sins... so much sacrifice isn't it? If God and Jesus were willing to sacrifice just to save us all, then how come that people will cry foul or unfair with just small things gone wrong in their lives... yet we fail to remember the sacrifices that Jesus and God have to put through themselves? That if you believe the bible, if not then I dunno what to think of these life's mysterious ways... now to think of it I come to realize that life on earth is always a constant pressure test between good and evil, between doing the wrong thing and doing the right thing... see... in every decision that we made in our lives there is always cause and effect..."

John was now smirking. "OMG, buddy you're getting deeper, I can't sink in," he joked. Then his face turned serious. "To answer your previous questions... if I have to do the things again I would willingly suffer the 11 months of torture without my wife on my side than lose her and my unborn daughter in the hands of my deranged brother."

"Now you see! But during your wife's disappearance, you nearly died of worry and psychological torture and ask God why bad things were happenings to you? It's hard to grasp the inner working of life while they were in motion, but when the trials stop we will realize why some things were bound to happen...why things were meant to be and not meant to be..." Romeo smiled to himself in amazement. He was stunned that the words just come out easily from his mouth like a river that was rushing to the sea. His wisdom didn't come in an instant though, it's years of acc.u.mulated result observing things and making logical explanation based on the way things works before... and after.

John chuckled. "Let's toast my friend because I'm thankful you shared your wisdom with me. I feel lightheaded right now. I'm now seeing things from a different perspective..."

Romeo grinned from ear to ear.

"Thanks to God for giving me wisdom even though I honestly don't deserve this. Now let's put your worries away for good. Joseph now has finally attained peace and forgiveness, because through his death his anger and revenge was already put to rest and based on the suicide letters he was brave enough to make amends and apologized to everyone... and you know God is so kind, he rewarded Joseph with an offspring when he died, that's a big miracle! God is so forgiving and generous to those who make amends on their wrongdoing. Then the best thing about this is that you finally got your wife back and she also comes with a new baby, your family is whole again and growing! Awesome, isn't it? When you just focus on the bad side it does look hell but when you start giving importance to the result of that bad events you will see the good result produced by it. Sometimes good intentions produce bad results and bad intentions produce good results. So it's up to you my friend, you can continue living your life worrying who masterminds the kidnapping of your wife or live your life happily without worries from now on. And what if I told you that God has probably orchestrated all this to happen in your life? Do you still have the nerve to complained when Jesus Christ his son was even willing to go through all the hardsh.i.p.s and torture himself? Think about that, we are just a tiny dot among the billions of people on this planet... that means we are not that special though."

John clapped his hands. "Such wisdom you had my friend! I was blown away by the things that you shared with me just right now. I am glad that we have this conversation, I can finally let go of the kidnapping incident and from now on I will enjoy my life with my wife and children. God allowed bad things to happen to me then fixed things right for me in the end. So how am I to complain?"

"That's right, let's focus on the good side now and leave the painful past behind! Cheers!" Romeo said aloud feeling happy that his buddy was finally letting go of the kidnapping incident.

They made a toast with their glasses filled with martini wine.

John was smiling while glancing at Romeo, he never knew this conversation with his buddy freed some of his worries and excess baggage inside. He feels truly lightheaded and enlightened right now.

He put the glass of wine in the table and strips his clothes except for his underwear. "I wanna go swimming bro, let's have a friendly swimming match!" he said.

Romeo put down his glass of wine as well and strips his clothes, and soon enough they were diving into the deepest part of the pool... their vibrant laughter vibrated around the pool area.