Therefore I Am a re-post from Mar 10, 2008 7:30 PM
I was on a call with a client. Doing the usual stuff.
Save the customer.
It was an ordinary day. Nothing really special. Until I was asked by Mr. Brown if I am born again. Born again?
Dead air.
Mr. Brown broke the silence. Are you a Born Again Christian?
Dead air.
My training in quick responding to questions and my experience in customer service for over 4 years did not help me in any way. I was caught off guard. Who would care anyway if I am a Born Again Christian or not if we are only to talk about account specific concerns? I deal with clients over the phone and that I am expected to display the values of the company and not necessarily of a Born Again Christian or any other religious denomination.
Maybe I cared less, leaving me unprepared for the question.
I simply uttered, “I am not a Born Again Christian, Mr. Brown but I am a Christian.”
Complete silence.
Then he came back with a delighted voice.
“Gerry, it’s good to know that you’re a Christian,” he said. Maybe he’s caught off guard as well with my answer because of the long break for him to say he’s pleased with my being a Christian.
However delighted, he’s not happy that I am not generous enough to give in to what he wanted. He wanted me to waive fees accrued to his account that were actually valid no matter how we’d look at it. The company I work for is not a charitable institution. At least that’s what I was taught to believe in and display in everything that I do at work. However, I sympathize with him. I’m still a human being. The sameness of feeling that I have for him is evident on the call. I would remove the fee for him if he would keep the account. However, he does not want to do business with the company further.
He did not get what he wanted. I did not get what I wanted either.
I thought the conversation was over. He wanted to talk more about our being followers of Christ. Although I do not go to the church often on Sundays, I make it a point to pray and talk to God every day. I always thank Him for the blessings I receive. I thank Him for the people I meet and that one day I get to meet the one who’s meant for me. I ask for forgiveness as I forgive those who did me wrong. I pray that He’d guide me in all the things that I do, think and say.
Mr. Brown thanked me for talking to him the way an account manager should in a situation where someone is torn between working for a company and giving in to a customer. I was told I was kind enough to at least offer him something that is somewhat agreeable to both parties.
He had to end the call as someone’s calling him on his cellphone.
As he was bidding goodbye, tears suddenly fell from my eyes. I was reminded of a recent situation where I had to suffer my happiness. Memories rushed in.
I was with someone for 5 months. Although for a short period of time, we shared a lot of things and that it’s as if we were together for a very long time.
I was made to believe that this person is the answer to my prayers.
Everything went well. No sign of something’s wrong. This person would always utter, “Don’t ever leave me and don’t leave me for someone”. I would say the same words back.
Months after, this person came up to me and said, “we’re over.”
I begged not to leave me. I did not succeed. I was even told, “have yourself a victorious defeat”.
And the whole gamut. I was not treated fairly. My questions were not even answered. This person caused me a lot of stress and unhappiness.
I was trained at work to retain customers and I constantly succeed. I tried to keep this person but I did not succeed. Surely, keeping customers and someone is totally different. But you try and learn to compromise, meet half way at least. But never compromise to someone who is not willing to do the same.
Surely, you can’t have it all, as the old adage would go.
As soon as I finished the conversation with Mr. Brown, I logged out. I took a breather.
Finally, I had the push — innocent push to accept my loss with this person and move on. If someone who I do not know care about my being a Christian, why would I not care about my well-being? Being unhappy is like putting oneself in a trap. Just like Mr. Brown said, Jesus rose on the 3rd day. As Christian as we are, we follow Christ.
So I told myself and took a deep breath, I will be back on track. I will be happy again. Leave the past behind and be born again.
Ordeal as it was, there’s one more thing that I have learned. Do not blame anyone for your unhappiness. Happiness is just a state of mind. Choose to be happy. Stay happy. After all, we can’t be born again. But, we may be born again. Save yourself, not others.
Do not blame anyone for your unhappiness. Happiness is just a state of mind. Choose to be happy. Stay happy. After all, we can’t be born again. But, we may be born again. Save yourself, not others.
