The Strait Gate and Narrow Way Lead to Life.

by Masha Dumanska

This is what Oliver learnt from his life. He was the oldest son from the four other children in a poor family. His father had an alcohol addiction and mother worked as a nurse.
From his early childhood Oliver saw poverty and misery. He knew that this is all wrong and wanted to change everything. One evening when his father was drunk, he started beating his mother. His siblings were too small and too frightened to protect her. But Oliver was 13 years old and he knew what to do. He took a pan and hit his father with it. Then the father fell on the ground. Everything that Oliver remembered after that accident was the police, interrogations, neighbors, cries, funeral and bigger misery. He was lucky because nobody went in jail. Everybody told that his father drank a lot and that it was self-defense because he threatened to kill everybody. After that Oliver understood that from that time he became the oldest male member in his family. He needed to find a job and make money. So he had several jobs as a dishwasher, janitor, waiter and etc. Oliver earned some money and after finishing school decided not to go to college but to open his own café. His siblings helped him working as waiters. It seemed that life started to improve. Then Oliver met a girl called Jennifer. They fell in love with each other. After a year of dating they got married because Jennifer got pregnant. She gave birth to a healthy girl Julia. Everything was fine until the Jennifer was diagnosed with cancer. Oliver tried to do everything that he could. In order Jennifer could  have an opportunity to be cured with chemotherapy Oliver sold his café. Unfortunately, his wife died 6 months later and left him with his daughter alone. Oliver felt depressed and couldn’t handle the situation. His mother helped him with raising Julia. He started making his mind about the whole situation only after Jennifer’s parents wanted to take Julia away. They told that their granddaughter wasn’t raised in a good conditions, that Oliver didn’t have a job and was in depression. He couldn’t help himself so how he could raise a little girl? Only then Oliver understood the whole situation that the only thing that left his beloved wife was going to be taken away from him. So then he put himself together. His long-time friend suggested him to work as a chief manager at his café. Oliver got this job and proved everybody that he could handle the whole situation. And Julia stayed with him. Only after a year of working that café started making a huge profit. Oliver’s friend understood that he has great skills and suggested Oliver to become his partner and to open another café. Oliver agreed and he could finally buy a normal house for him and Julia. Also he continued to help his mother and siblings. For them he was like a kind and loving father that they never really had. Oliver became more confident and understood that everybody can change his/her life. It is only the matter of will.