I remember that day well.
It was a night like many other but I was returning home after receiving the news that they no longer needed me. Being fired two weeks after my mother's death caught me off guard.
The way to the metro station never seemed so long as at that time, I had my backpack where I kept everything I used at work, even a small lunchbox that I had prepared for the possible overtime I planned to do and complete the project.
When I passed the overpass I looked down and saw that wonder that always enchanted me, several lights passing quickly under my feet, seemed to form a luminous river, I knew it was the cars bringing people like me back to their homes, but this scenario always gave me a shiver.
I admired the lights, but my heart seemed to get increasingly black, full of doubts, insecurities and fears. I watched those lights and little by little I seemed to go into a trance.
If I joined these lights I would not have to worry about anything else, I would not feel this sadness, I would not worry about what I should do with my life, I would find peace. My hands and legs seemed to start moving on their own and I leaned on the overpass railing, would it be fast or would I feel my life disappear, that thought held me back, that's when I heard something different than normal.
I looked around to find out what the noise was and then I felt something touch my leg, when I saw it I came across you, of course you weren't the same size as today, you were tiny and had the biggest eyes I had ever seen in my life. Your body was all dirty and you were extremely thin, I think you felt the smell from my lunchbox and that's why you came to me. I was not hungry so i let you eat everything, you wagged your tail so fiercely that put a smile on my face.
When you finished, I caressed you and wrapped you in the extra shirt that I always took to work for emergencies, you didn't complain for a moment. When we arrived at my small apartment, I gave you a complete bath with what was possible, it was late so no vets could take you that night.
The next day you went through all the necessary treatment, took another shower, received some medication and I left with several things you would need, but there was something missing, a name.
For hours that day I was watching you have fun around the apartment while i thought of a name, i know i should be thinking about how to feed you in the future since i was out of a job, but you were my light, my escape from reality and then i gave you the name of Élpis.
The name of the goddess of the personification of hope and that is exactly what you started to be for me. You gave me a clear objective, find another job or another way to get money, because i wanted to you stay with me as long as you live.
It didn't take long and i got another job, i know it will look like something fake coming from a self-help book, but it was a better place than the previous one, i followed your growth and thanks to you a lot has gotten better.
Thinking today, with you here in my lap on your twelfth birthday, if I hadn't been fired that day i would never have gone through that overpass at that time, maybe I would never have met you and my life would continue the same.
Another possibility is if someone else had passed before me and adopted you as i did, maybe i would have ended my life in that place, but everything worked out. You brought me a lot of joy, a lot of headaches, a lot of worries, and I love you for that.
You gave me hope, you gave me happiness, you saved me, thank you for existing in my life, thank you my dear Élpis.
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