​Restitution | After the Storm

Divorce is a storm that will shake your whole life up. The recovery and rebuilding process will leave your mental health and finances off-balance.

Three years ago, marriage was the last thing I wanted. And having another child? That was not even a thought in my mind because the greatest thing a man could ever have was taken from me; fatherhood. I was fighting to stay in my son’s life. I was struggling to keep my professional career on track. I was struggling to take steps forward.

I used this experience as an opportunity to look in the mirror. I had to really be honest and identify what role I played to get to this point instead of focusing on what anyone else did to me. How can I be better? How could I use this as a leap forward rather than a step back? I remember speaking with God, recognizing my mistakes, and asking for restitution.

But I knew that to receive, I had to do my part. The first thing I worked on was self-love. The lack thereof in my life led me to seek it in the wrong people.

The second thing I did was dedicate myself to being present in my son’s life. A man can’t conquer anything until he learns to conquer himself and accepts his responsibilities. I resigned from my job, moved to his home state, purchased a house near him, and gave him all the time and love I could. For nearly 2 years, I put my professional life on hold to give my son consistency. No regrets at all.

At the end of 2021, something shifted. I had no clue what was coming but something told me that restitution was around the corner. And then on October 19th, my son’s birthday, I got a call. I was being recruited to lead an organization focused on Central America. After 3 interviews, I took the role and I moved to New Jersey.

But the blessings kept coming. I met my best friend and we were managing a long-distance relationship between New Jersey and Costa Rica. Suddenly, my job authorized my move back home to Costa Rica. We then got engaged in Guatemala, the place where I separated from my son. We got married in Costa Rica and now we’re expecting a little angel due November 2022.

The storm is over. A new, beautiful chapter begins.

---