November was not good to me. For some reasons, one unpleasant thing after another happened. A major project that I had been working on for over a month got postponed, then cancelled despite my efforts to make it push through. Then, three days after that, I had a major rift with my daughter who wanted to assert her independence. If these weren’t enough, I found out, when I was supposed to deposit money to my bank savings account a day after my daughter left, that someone has emptied my account in a span of two months.

For the first, the consultant had no qualms in suggesting cancellation even after a two-week postponement to address some issues. I felt really bad, and for the first time, I cried in my Office after realizing that nothing could be done anymore. It was so unlike me but I felt that it was so unfair.

As for the second, never had I felt that “You’re children are not your children…” by Kahlil Gibran so true.

As for the bank issue, it’s the worst so far. (I’ve had undispensed cash withdrawn outside the Philippines debited from my account and after several follow ups and accomplishment of forms required by the bank, nothing happened and I’m back to square one when I inquired.) I wanted to get the CCTV footage on that same day I discovered the theft but to do this, I was required to get a bank statement, notarize a document, and submit a CCTV request form, all with fees to be paid and took several days. How’d that feel? A good friend helped me file reports. I’m so thankful to her ’cause frankly, I didn’t have the energy anymore.

I have not been so unlucky since I got back. I blamed myself for not checking my bank account, assured with the thought that it’s safe in the bank, being so occupied with work. But then, I realized. I am not at fault. It’s that person’s who fraudulently and had a great time in his/her life getting another person’s hard-earned money and spending it himslf/herself.

I am not one who’s used to swearing. It’s not part of my system and it sounded so alien. But last month, I learned to swear under my breath. I felt that was necessary or I would have exploded or imploded; either way.

I also tried to bounce back. I attended an International Bazaar a day after I discover the bank theft, ’cause well, I bought the ticket prior. Also, I just focused on the little things and the small blessings I received.

So far, this month is promising to be better. Our Office just recently finished a weeklong major cultural training in which I was the overall coordinator. It went well. Here’s to hoping and wishing that the rest of the month will be okay.

Lessons Learned:

Make sure to check your finances. The fraudulent and unauthorized bank withdrawals were made from my personal savings account during the months of August and September 2022 but it was only in the last week of November that I noticed. (The bank should have notified me too. How I can possibly withdraw money in a different at times from 2-4 in the morning? And why would I withdraw a series of small amounts? It’s illogical.)

Some things are beyond our control. It sucks though especially if we really thought we got things figured out. But we shouldn’t allow these bad things to continue to make us feel miserable.

Some people are egregious. But there are angels in our midst. Be thankful for the latter.