I probably shared this story on the forum when it happened.
Last year I forfeited my tickets to watch Juve in Melbourne as they were also touring Singapore (closer to home.) Closer to the date, despite being a member and entering numerous competitions, I just could not seem to get my hands on the meet & greet and/or the training pass, which was frustrating because things have always gone my way whenever it involves these things with Juve. I sent close to 20 emails to them - how can they not give me the pass, who's a faithful, paying international member, who founded the Juve fan club in Malaysia, etc. etc?? It all seemed so goddamn unfair, and here I was watching other folks whom I know may not love Juve as much as I do, but they get to squeal about meeting the team.
To make matters worse, at about the same time, my grandma who lived with me fell sick. About a week after being hospitalized, she died. The anguish, anxiety, mixed feelings of being hopeful and defeated of staying with her throughout that one whole week in the hospital - of watching her pull through only to deteriorate again - was almost unbearable. As a matter of fact I was awake and watching her at 5am while the nurse did the suction when her blood pressure instantly went down and all of a sudden she died.
Two months later my elderly cat, as stupid as it may sound whom I love very very dearly, also passed. She too was deteriorating due to her kidney failure and was peeing all over my room as that's the only place she is comfortable in and is no longer mobile. I had bought her a huge cage after work to make it more efficient and comfortable to care for her to be put in my room, but just as I got home, literally 5 minutes after buying the cage, I came home to find my cat dying. As she lay dying in my room I wept next to her one whole night while her breaths grew slower. I went to sleep at midnight, and woke up at 2am, to find her dead. I cannot even describe how desolate I felt. Even today when I feel sad over the most remote things, I always think back to these two months, and the truth is grief is a real sneaky thing.
My point is if anyone had told me then, that after that shitty year, I would actually be going to Turin to watch a Juventus semi final against Madrid, and that we would have won 2 trophies and are in the running for the CL title - in the final - the goddamn CHAMPIONS LEAGUE final!! I wouldn't have been able to believe it. It is something so... unexpected, something that feels almost too great to happen, particularly after all the trials and tribulations we Juve fans had to face. I have been wanting the CL from the day I supported Juve at the age of 9, and it has not been forthcoming, so to finally get this opportunity again after Calciopoli, midtable finishes... it is so surreal. I feel like this is a story I could share with only this forum - to other people this season or being in the running for the treble - might seem like a small thing, "it's just football", but really, for people like you and I, it's not just that - it's a symbol of resurrection, determination... but most of all a symbol of HOPE ... that no matter what hell you go through - good days, however long it may take, will eventually come.
And for that, I will always be grateful for THIS particular season, THIS particular team, for mending these wounds. They have really done something for me. I don't care what happens come June 6th, I am just, really, eternally grateful for giving me this much joy this season, when I so badly needed it.
Glad somebody got it. @Hustini and @W taking things too literally.
