When Joy Came in the Form of a Gig

It had been one of those weeks where everything felt tight money. Rent was due, my food stuff was almost empty, and my head was swimming with worry. I had applied for several gigs, followed up on old contacts, and prayed silently each morning, hoping that something anything would come through.

Then one afternoon, while I was scrolling through my phone, I saw the notification. A client I had pitched to two weeks ago replied. “Hi, we’d love to go ahead with the project. Please send your rate and timeline.”

I froze.

For a second there, I didn’t even know if it could be true. I read it and read it again, and checked the date and time stamp. I was so happy in my heart! I hadn’t had anything to eat that day, but in that moment, I might as well have been presented with the most lavish banquet of my life. I have received ecstatic messages about job offers, but to get that message was more than a job a message of immediate joy, of peace of mind, and of an opportunity to breathe.

The money went through two days later, and I was able to find the essentials at last. I paid my rent with a great sigh of relief; I went grocery shopping; I took care of a few small but nagging expenses that had been lingering over my head like storm clouds. It wasn’t a big sum of money, but it was exactly what I needed, when I needed it the worst and it seemed like a miracle then.

And as usual, I did what I always do when something good comes my way: I took myself out on a little treat. Nothing fancy just a soft drink and meat pie at my favorite quiet spot. It was a way of telling myself, Weldon and feeling fruitful. That short moment, sitting there alone and smiling.

I sent a little something to my sister, too, and shared one with family. It may not have been much, but I taught myself the value of a little bit here and there when times are tough. Hearing them on the phone, grateful to have broken the news, felt all the more gratifying.

The word joy, for many people, conjures up associations with something big a lavish vacation, a triumphant event, a parade. But for me, instant delight struck me in the form of a modest email and the liberation it offered. That gig allowed me to ponder the fact that things can change on a dime, even in the midst of despair.

It also taught me that happiness is not always being clear on everything. At others, So whenever I feel discouraged now, I think back to that moment. The relief. The smile. The meat pie and drink. The small money transfer to my sister. The quiet joy of knowing that help came when I needed it most.

That memory has become my fuel, and I carry it with me as a reminder: joy often shows up in simple, timely ways and that’s more than enough.

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