12 may 2020
Butterflies
The butterfly effect is an interesting concept. As a quick refresher, it's basically the name for cascading reactions - something happens, causes something else, etc etc.
Sometimes I think about my own life and what conditions have dominoed forward for the better. I like to go back and find "the reason" for something happening. I don't particularly think there is a plan in motion, but it gives me some kind of comfort nonetheless.
In 2011 and 2012, I interned at a large tech company. I assumed I would be working there out of college, but it didn't quite work out that way. I was not offered a position. I was dismayed, but a month or so later, a recruiter for another company reached out to me. I interviewed and got the job. They actually didn't realize I was still in college, which was pretty funny honestly.
When I started work at that company, I became friends with a coworker. During one of our company events, there was a drawing for tickets to a baseball game. For whatever reason, it was three tickets. My coworker/friend won, and he ended up giving me a ticket and brought along his then-girlfriend.
At the baseball game, I met his girlfriend. After getting to know me for a bit, she had an idea. She planned to set me up with someone and the four of us would go on a double date.
I was hesitant to do the blind double date, but I went. Turns out, it went well. We're married now (the date, not my friend).
My partner moved in after a few months. Pretty quick honestly. She began to change the way I thought about money pretty shortly after. We began to save money as best we could. That worked out very well for us, and after getting our dog, we proceeded to buy a house, get married and buy a new car all in one year without taking on much debt. Well, besides the mortgage. That's a lot of debt.
The new house created a commute for me. I previously was walking to work, and now I was driving. Not very far, but it still bugged me quite a bit. I don't much love driving to begin with, at least in rush hour traffic. So I took that as a sign and began to look for a new job. I eventually landed at my current job, which is a full time remote position for a company I highly respect and am proud to be a part of. The pay gain was substantial and the work is fulfilling.
So here I am, sitting on the couch in a home I never thought I could have, with a partner whom I love, the silliest dog, a fulfilling job working comfortably from my own space - and none of it would have happened if I had gotten that first job. I never would have met my wife if my coworker didn't win those tickets.
Butterflies, who knew?