What makes a proposal a proposal? What makes a promise a promise? What makes a wish a wish?

A few weekends ago I witnessed the full-blown disappointment that comes with a broken promise. Mind you, it wasn't a life-changing promise like a wedding proposal or something like that; it was a measly promise to be taken back home. Nothing dramatic about that. I'm sure anybody may have gotten a similar offer from a colleague or friend at some point in their life, so you woulnd't really think of it as a promise. The thing is, when you are more than 30km away from any sort of familiarity and slowly losing the light of day, that kind of offer becomes a promise; a promise that will determine whether you actually get home, firstly, in one piece, and secondly, with all your possessions still in your possession.

So there I was with a broken promise, left stranded, in the middle of a busy town, at an hour not safe for anyone, let alone a sweet, timid little girl like me.

What would you have done?

Now when I think about it, I wish a million plagues to befall the person who left me to fend for myself, but at that moment when I was stuck, all I could think of was my safety. I was searching my brain trying to think of any thing, any way, or any person that could help me in my situation. I actually forgot to mention that I didn't have a phone either, it had gotten stolen a week earlier and I hadn't gotten around to getting a new one, so I was in a pretty sticky situation. As for feelings, I was scared; scared out of my wits. I remember hearing the tears in my voice as I called my friend to come to my aid. It was the most intense 15 minutes of the year, so far.

As for the idiot who left me (wanted to get a better word than "idiot", but this was the best I could come up with without offending anyone), not even for a nanosecond did they cross my mind. My first and foremost obligation was to myself.

I won't lie, besides being disappointed, I was extremely infuriated, but then, how was that going to benefit me?

Being angry wasn't going to get me home; I just had to accept that. Besides having to accept that, I had to just tell myself to let it go. Many would agree though, letting go is always better said than done. I could say that it's actually one of the things I've always struggled with; I just can't let go.

Then that thing hit me, that funny thing that we call karma. You know what they say: "What goes around, comes around." Well I figured its time I stopped trying to get even and holding on to grudges, I should just let things be. Whatever they did to me, will come back to them because that's how the universe works, that's what it is.

Not everything will always work out the way it's supposed to or the way we want it to, people will always be there to screw you over, but I guess its all part of the learning curve. I can safely say I've learnt my lesson: ALWAYS HAVE A PLAN B! As for those million plagues I wish would befall the "idiot", I hope they become a million blessings because blessings and luck will be needed when karma decides to get even.

As for me, I'm grateful for the friend I have in Praise Mhlongo, thanks to him, I got home in one piece. Dedicated to you...