I’m not a screamer. I think I have a delayed reaction.
For about 20 years, I had a loan that felt borderline criminal—high interest, signed when I was young and didn’t know any better. I put it off and put it off until it turned into a monster. And at a certain point I honestly felt like I was done—like I couldn’t really have a life because the debt had gotten so out of control.
So when I finally got a lawyer and it got resolved, he called me with the good news.
And my first reaction wasn’t fireworks. It was disbelief.
For the first time I was like… damn. I don’t have debt.
But I didn’t trust it yet. I kept waiting for the “but.”
Like… here comes the bad news.
The next day I went to see my lawyer in person. I brought him donuts from Krispy Kreme—half a dozen glazed, and the mixed box for the other six. And when I saw him, that’s when I finally had a real reaction, because there was no “but.”
I teared up and told him he gave me my life back.
Once it was fully confirmed, the feeling wasn’t even “celebration” like a party. It was more like relief. Like I can finally move forward.
Then I did my version of celebrating: I went looking for a movie. I was at Barnes & Noble, checking the Criterion section. I was even thinking of grabbing Under Siege from Arrow during their 50% sale.
But then I turned and saw the psychology section, and this red book caught my eye. It looked cool—just aesthetically. I didn’t even know what it was.
Later I found out it was The Red Book by Carl Jung—an edited version so a regular person could understand it better.
So yeah… that was my celebration.
First I didn’t believe. I waited for the “but.”
Then I got the confirmation in person that there was no “but.”
Then I cried.
Then I looked forward to the next step.
Question: When good news finally hits, do you celebrate right away—or do you wait for the “but”?
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