Reunion of Strength and Faith

I'd like you all to meet my friend, Bob. 

We met October of 2007 in one of the largest and newest call centers that time in Quezon City. It was when original teams get to be dispersed to new groups in lieu of schedule bids of agents. I was handling a team of technical support reps, and our team was called VOL 41. Bob became my new senior agent. 

My impression of him was that he's funny, smart and active. I know him to participate in almost all company-wide activities, i.e., sports fest, outreach, tree-planting and so on. 

I have vivid memories of Bob during team meetings. He would normally crack jokes, comment on new processes, ask questions and share best practices. He has this charisma to his new colleagues which makes him a perfect candidate for a mentor role. 

In few months time, Bob and I have to part ways. Him, moving to a new team and me handling a new group of agents. 

Fast forward, I moved to support group, got promoted and finally left Operations. 

With those changes in my career life, Bob also carved his own road to success. He became part of the Marketing and Communications department and was very instrumental in the important events of the company. 

Few years later, I have to leave the company for greener pasture and just like everybody else, Bob also moved out from the same company. 

Bob and I were never really close during our career life in the same company. We never hang-out but whenever we see each other in the office, we get to say our hi's and hello's. He still calls me TL (which I realized everyone does), albeit I relinquished the post several years ago. Bob was really a very polite person. Bob and I have a lot of things in common. We're both PLUs and we have long-standing relationships. Unlike me however, Bob got separated recently with his four years relationship with the same office mate as ours. 

Through fate, Bob and I have recently become Twitter buddies. We renewed ties through our humorous tweets.  We laughed, we talked and we inspired each other. 

Inspiration is something we derive from friends. We never get to see each other often, but we knew deep inside that we're just there, a text or a tweet away. During low-times, Bob cheers me up through text and through funny tweets. 

Until I found out something. 

All the while, I never thought Bob is stricken by a disease. Happy & healthy person, that's Bob for me. 

A confession made me realize that Bob needs me not only for those exchanges of funny tweets, but also for his emotional and morale boost.

Bob was diagnosed Positive with HIV. 

Bob, I'm not sure if you remember this notebook with a red ribbon and bell on. 

This was your gift to me for Christmas of 2007. 

I've kept this gift all along, not that I don't know what to do with it, but I really cherish gifts that has something to do with writing. I really do appreciate it.

I know that you also love the song Unwritten by Natasha Bedingfield, having seen this several times in your status updates in Facebook. 

I'd like to remind you that a huge part of our lives are still unwritten, and we all have a very long way to go.

You've inspired me in so many ways especially on how you handle things at this moment. Your happy disposition really helps you a lot to cope up with the disease. 

Bob, I'd like to thank you for the friendship. But above all, I thank you for your prayers. Trust that you are always in my prayers too. Thanks for reminding me of my faith and how it renews my strength to move on and face challenges like you do. 

You're a blessing Bob, always remember that.