The Context (Part II)

The following are the circumstances that has led to the current situation...

Before the Accident

- Glorie and I broke up mutually. The reason, as agreed upon by the both of us, was that our lives simply lacked the individual focus on Christ that it used to have. We both concluded that our perpetual fighting was one of the symptoms of such. We still loved each other, but we forgot all about the One loving us in the first place. In agreement, we both felt that it would be wise to choose this path for our betterment.

- God did His thing in both of our lives. No doubt.

- When Ryan entered the picture (something with which I'm still uncertain), I was completely unaware. Glorie never gave so much as even a hint of him being in her life whenever we spoke. I found this strange. The closest example I have with this would be Alicia...but I told Glorie about Alicia from the very start.

- Praise's grad party was a night to remember. Not only cause Praise, well, graduated...but because of the strange way Glorie acted that night. I eventually found out more about Ryan that night, but it had to come from straight observation. Glorie, nor anyone else in her family for that matter, was ever forward to me about him. Needless to say, Glorie hurt me in ways that I never thought she would that night.

Oh, and no one said I'm sorry to me. I guess no one was sorry. Perhaps everyone saw it coming except me.

- I ended up forgiving Glorie even after what she did to me. We talked again. We became friends again. We become closer (somewhat). One time it got to the point where she called specifically asking me to pray for her and her family due to the pain that Ryan was causing them.

At this point, I'm utterly confused...but I pray with her. She thanks me. It feels natural again--just like it did when we first started. Nothing forced...just two people trying to follow this Christ who has impacted us.

- I maintained good communication with Tita Maricor specifically. She became one of my better friends. I've maintained that throughout the past 4 years I've been a Christian, Tita Maricor has been one of my "Paul"s. Essentially, that means she has had a role in my life such that her wisdom and spiritual know-how has been an example for me.

Anyway, I remember talking with her one night about Glorie. I tried to gather as much info as I could, but not to much avail. In the end she said something particularly precious to me...

"I'll always believe that you're the one for my daughter. I won't stop believing that until I see her on her wedding day with someone else."


After the accident

- Tita Maricor calls and says that before I consider going down to see Glorie, I should be aware that Ryan was there. No problem.

- The few days I was there, I got to be really close to Tita Edna and her family. It was really cool. I truly felt like family.

- Tita Maricor once introduced me as her son to one of the hospital people. That was a moment for me.

- I got to spend almost 45 mins by myself with Glorie when I went down there. I sang to her. I cried. This was also precious to me.

- Before I left, I spoke with Tita Maricor one last time. I questioned why Ryan became so increasingly involved with everyday tasks that she could run herself. I felt major jealousy. In my time with the Lord, it was revealed to me that I have no room to be jealous. For all I know, God is using their [Ryan and Tita Maricor's] time together for spiritual betterment (much in the same way my time with her helped mold my spirit). I told her that.

She assured me that God is the one orchestrating everything in this story. She likened to compare the situation to a play...with everyone having separate roles and God being the ultimate mastermind behind it all (by the way, this is an analogy that I would ultimately end up really, really disapprove of). She said how I have my role and Ryan has his. "Fair enough" I thought.

However she said one more thing. She said that as it pertains to me and Ryan, we are both neutral. Glorie doesn't choose Ryan. Glorie doesn't choose me. They [Tita Maricor and Tito Henry] wanted to keep it that way.

- I go back home. I maintain consistent communication with both Tita Edna and Tita Maricor. I delight in all the small details that I hear about Glorie's progress. I pass them along to all the saints in the GA. They take equal delight. God really is amazing.

- I make plans to go back to Florida. I discuss things with Tita Maricor about what I was looking at if I did go. She responds by saying that she wanted a week to see how their schedules were going to look like (Wauchula is 2 hours away after all). I happily oblige.

Before I get off the phone with her I tell her something very specific...

"Tita Maricor, I want you to know that I want to go down there even if it means I won't see Glorie. If I can go simply to be an encouragement to others then I will gladly do so. If I can go even to just help drive back and forth from Orlando to Wauchula, then I'll go. I just want you to know that it would help me knowing that I was physically closer to Glorieanne."

Her response?

"Oh anak! You are so kind. I will definitely keep it in mind. As for right now, I just want to see what our schedules will be like."

- That conversation happened July 28th. I wouldn't have contact again with anyone from Glorie's family again until August 16th.