Hello everyone. I'm really excited to share this experience with you. Today I am going to talk about my best friend, Maria.
I was born in a very poor family and even though my parents tried their best to give me everything they could, there were some things that we just couldn't afford. We lived on the outskirts of town and had no electricity or running water. The closest store was over an hour away so we didn't have any luxuries like microwaves or television. Our only source of entertainment was books and games that we made ourselves. My mother was a seamstress who worked hard every day to make sure that our clothes weren't rags and my father was a farmer who grew corn and vegetables for us to eat. It wasn't easy but we always managed to get by.
When I was seven years old my parents decided it was time to move closer to the city where there would be more opportunities for me. We packed all our belongings into a wagon and headed out. On the way we stopped at the local school to register me for classes. There were many children waiting outside the building when we arrived. Some of them were wearing new uniforms while others were dressed in hand-me-downs from older siblings. When it was my turn I walked up to the teacher and told her my name. She looked down at me and said "Maria" in a loud voice. I turned around and saw that she was pointing at another girl who was standing next to me. I had never seen her before. Her hair was long and dark and she wore a bright yellow dress with flowers on it.
That was the first time I met Maria. We both got into the same class and became friends immediately. From then on we spent every waking moment together. We shared our food and clothing, played games together and learned how to read and write. In return she taught me how to play the flute and I showed her how to knit. For many years we were inseparable.
We did everything together. After graduating from the elementary school we enrolled in the same high school and studied hard to prepare for college. We applied to the same university and got accepted. But Maria's father passed away suddenly and she had to drop out of school. She moved back home and took care of her mother. Then she found a job as a waitress in a diner near our house.
She was barely making enough money to pay rent and buy groceries. But she didn't complain. She wanted to help her mom raise her younger brother and sister. I didn't mind helping her. I knew how difficult it was for her to work two jobs while taking care of her family. So I helped her whenever I could. Once a month I would go to the diner and bring her some extra cash.
Maria's mother was ill and needed expensive medicine. The doctor recommended that Maria should stop working and take care of her. I understood why she couldn't do that. She needed to provide for her family. But I also knew how much she loved her job. She was good at it and the customers liked her.
One night when we were sitting on the porch she told me that she was thinking about applying to the university again. I was surprised. She hadn't talked to me about it before. How could she study? I asked her if she was serious and she nodded. I was happy for her. She was so smart and talented. I encouraged her to apply. I promised that I would support her decision.
But how, she had no money, she could not take care of her family. I remembered what my parents used to say: If you want something badly enough, you'll find a way.
I told her to come over to my place after work. I had an idea.
We started looking for jobs online. I posted ads on Craigslist like websites and invited Maria to do the same. We put her resumes on some websites.
After a few days we received several responses. One of them offered her part-time job in their office. The job was simple. She was supposed to answer the phone and greet the visitors. She would have to do some filing and other clerical tasks. They would pay her $9 an hour.
The second job was better. She was hired as a receptionist at a doctor's clinic. The job required her to answer phones and schedule appointments. She would earn $10 an hour.
Maria accepted the offers She quit her waitress job and started working for the doctor's clinic. Her new boss was nice and friendly. He treated her well and gave her a lot of responsibility. He trusted her completely. Soon she was doing all the work herself. She didn't need me anymore. The doctor also began to treat his mother.
It was great news for me too because I was able to focus on my studies.
Maria has saved a lot of money and started studying at university in three months. She will be attending the same university as me. Her mother was no longer ill and her siblings were grown up. She was finally free to pursue her dreams.
Life was good. We were both doing well. We had a lot of fun together and enjoyed spending time with each other. Our lives have changed a lot since we met. We are now independent women and we have careers. We don't live in poverty anymore.
I recently told Maria about the hive blockchain. She will be joining the community soon. My story is not unique. Many people live in poverty and struggle to survive. I am glad that the Hive allows us to help one another. I hope that the Ladies community will continue to grow and reach more people.
Thank you for reading!