I Paid My Dues!

… I paid my dues, got the receipts to show for it, I ‘ve done my time, got my release papers, I have served every single moment to the last second of my sentence, nothing is left, it’s all been done! I have been there, done it, seen it all and I have the T shirt to show for it. I have tolerated, endured and taken it all in. I have served my time for a crime I did not commit. I have studied and sat an exam I have no business sitting for. I am not interested in the profession, but yet I passed and I have my qualifications to wave under any nose. I ‘ve had to take it all in, the crap, the nonsense, everything was thrown at me. I am so done with it all. I feel my life will be better now that it is all over.

I packed my meagre stuff, at least they are mine, with my release paper under my arm. I walked gallantly, minded to say goodbye to no one, not one deserves my adieu, as I reached the door, my hand stretched out to turn the handle, ‘the voice’ came to me, yes ‘the voice’ again, “not now” it said, “not today”. I screamed with my veins almost popping “I have paid my ******** dues!!!!!, here is my release papers ” I replied “I know” said the gentle voice “I know you paid your dues, I know you have done your time, I know you have your release papers, I know you are a free man and I know you can go but stay, it’s not over yet, it is almost there, the true victory is round the corner, the true time is not fully served, the lesson is not over, your growth game has been strong and you have grown in leaps but there is still some growing, some learning, there are still some dues to be paid, no man will chase you for those dues but life itself demands that you pay those dues”.

With my head bent, I slowly turned back and voluntarily walked back to the warden, ‘why?’ he asked, “I must finish my sentence I must pay all my dues”. He looked at me strange, “but they’ve all been paid” he said, “yes and no” I replied, most have been paid. There is still a little more to be paid and then I will be done then I can look life in the face, eyeball to eyeball and say I have paid my dues, until then I have to carry on, I owe life, not man and so I continued my sentence with purpose and not recriminations or remorse.

Today it is fully paid, and it is between life and I, life woke me up with a big bright smile, in the form of a morning sun and with a twinkle that we both understood and a nod. I walked on to my next sentence, to pay my next due.

Well done! Said life.