14/02/2023
"Ma kontx nemmen fl-imħabba. Kont qtajt qalbi. Issa nħoss li sibt l-imħabba ta' ħajti. Carl tani l-ħajja mill-ġdid. Miegħu nħossni li kuljum qed ngħix avventura. Il-fatt li jaqbadni eċitament u nħoss il-friefet fl-istonku meta niġi biex niltaqa' miegħu jew jibgħatli xi messaġġ ifisser li hemm imħabba vera.
Wara li spiċċajt l-iskola, kont naħdem ir-Razzett tal-Ħbiberija, Wied il-Għajn, l-ewwel bħala voluntiera u mbagħad part-timer. Minn Ħaż-Żabbar kont ninżel bir-roller blades. Xogħli kien pool-attendant, għalliema tal-għawm u gym instructor. Filgħaxija, meta jkun dalam, kienet tinżel għalija ommi u nitla' magħha bil-karozza. Dak iż-żmien, Carl ukoll kien jaħdem ir-Razzett tal-Ħbiberija fejn kien jieħu ħsieb l-annimali u jlaqqagħhom mat-tfal b'diżabbilità. Sakemm kienet tistennieni fil-karozza, mhux l-ewwel darba li ommi kienet tara lil Carl u tieqaf tparla miegħu. Mur għidilha li tlettax-il sena wara, kienet se ssibu miegħi wara l-bieb tad-dar tagħha. Dak iż-żmien, jien kelli nieqaf naħdem mir-Razzett tal-Ħbiberija għax kont tqila bit-tifel. Minn meta kelli 20 sena sa ftit xhur ilu, lil Carl qatt ma rajtu. It-tifel twieled u rabbejtu waħdi.
Id-destin nemmen fih. F'Settembru li għadda rċevejt friend request mingħand Carl u skoprejt li għall-festa ta' Ħaż-Żabbar, kien se jkun xogħol bħala barman f'wieħed mill-każini tal-baned ewlenin. Mort infittxu u minn hemm bqajna f'kuntatt. Bdejna noħorġu flimkien u issa ilna dawn il-ħames xhur flimkien. Meta ħadtu wara l-bieb t'ommi, u ħarġet tara min kien hemm miegħi, qabżitilha demgħa u kienet hi li tagħtu l-ewwel tgħanniqa.
Ilni biss 5 xhur, imma qisna ilna 5 snin. Inħossuna bħala familja. Jiena naf minn xiex għadda u hu jaf jien minn xiex għaddejt. Qabel beda joħroġ miegħi, Carl ried ikun jaf jekk it-tifel tiegħi, li issa għandu 13-il sena, xtaqx li dan iseħħ. Hu aċċettah u tant kemm iħossu komdu miegħu, li jfittxu l-ħin kollu. F'Carl sab il-persuna li miegħu jista' jiftaħ qalbu.
Aċċettajna lil xulxin kif aħna. Kien hemm min ħassarli u min tani s-sapport. Għalkemm hemm differenzi bejnietna, infittxu l-bilanċ. Jien nagħtih is-sapport fejn hu meħtieġ u fejn ma jasalx. Irrid ngħinu jwettaq il-ħolm li għandu jappartjeni fix-xogħol li jrid jagħmel." - Diane
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The People of Malta, bis-sapport ta’ Maypole
www.maypole.com.mt
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"I did not believe in love. I had given up. Now it feels like I have found the love of my life. Carl has given me new life. I feel like I'm living an adventure with him everyday. The fact that I become excited and have butterflies in my stomach every time I am about to meet him or he sends me a message means that this is true love.
When I finished school, I went on the work at Ir-Razzett tal-Hbiberija in Marsascala, first as a volunteer and subsequently as a part-timer. I used to go to Zabbar on my rollerblades. I was a pool attendant, a swimming teacher and a gym instructor. In the evenings, when it used to get dark, my mother used to come and pick me up with her car. At the time Carl was also working at ir-Razzett tal-Hbiberija tending to the animals and interacting with the children who had special needs. Whilst waiting in the car she used to sometimes see Carl and stop to have a chat with him. Who would have thought that thirteen years later I would be at her door with him. At the time I had to stop working there because I was pregnant with my son. From the age of 20 till a few months ago I never heard from Carl again. My son was born and I brought him up alone.
I believe in fate. Last September I received a friend request from Carl and got to know that he would be working as a barman in one of the village band clubs for the Zabbar feast. I went to look for him and we remained in contact. We started going out together and have been a couple for the last five months. When I took him home to my mother and she came out to see who was with me, she got emotional and gave him his first hug.
It has only been 5 months but it feels like 5 years. We feel like a family. I know what he has been through and he knows what I have been through. Before going out with me Carl wanted to know if my son, who is now 13 years old was in agreement with this. He accepted him and is so comfortable with him that he looks for his company constantly. In Carl he has found a person he can confide in.
We have accepted each other as we are. I was given support by some whereas others warned me. Although there are differences between us we look for balance. I give my support where necessary and when he cannot make it on his own. I want to help him realize the dreams he has for the work he would like to do." - Diane
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The People of Malta supported by: Maypole
Nothing says homemade like Maypole
www.maypole.com.mt