Adversities and Challenging Times

Note : I'm gonna try to write this post in a sober way.

Okay, I'm not intoxicated (at least that I'm sure). I just came from a 12-hour boat trip from home, and believe me, it wasn't fun.

Two years ago, I swore I'll never ever take a boat no matter how much cost it would save me. After that island hopping incident where the ferry almost capsized, I developed a trauma on big waves and bad weather. But some two years ago was different. It was sunny. There was no storm. Not a slightest rain. But an hour after we departed, the ship began to rock and dance to the tune of big waves. I'm serious.

I've never been so afraid in my life. I couldn't remember how many Hail Marys and Our Fathers I prayed just to spare us from an impending mishap. I've traveled via ship countless times before but that was the worst part of them all that I would curse the wind and the waves everytime it clashed with the vessel. So I made a firm resolution : No more third time for me.

Then came last night...

It was raining nonstop in my hometown for four days already. And when I say nonstop I mean whole day and night. Because of the annoying, unforgiving rain - all flights going in and out were cancelled. And that left me with no other option but to take the boat (unless I'm planning to extend my vacation for another week, then I shall wait until they decide to open the runway). So that explains why I fee like I'm wasted today. I only got 3 intermittent hours of sleep. Why? Can you sleep when it feels like you're being tossed or riding in a swing? Roller coasters are indeed fun, right? But when you're in the middle of the dark sea and you know for a fact that you can't swim or even do the floating in the basic sense - it's a different story!

Thank God we arrived safe and sound. But that's not the end of my worries. I got a news back home that it's starting to rain again. Oh did I tell you that the streets were flooded and in our neighbohood the flood water was on knee level? What a great way to start the year! I'm worried coz word has it that they will release water from the dam anytime today. It could only mean one thing : flood water will rise and with the constant rain, only God knows what will happen next.

It fears me coz it's just my mother and my younger brother left at home. It fears me coz it's a disaster waiting to happen and yet some people would quip about it like a ridiculous joke. Hell, if they've got nothing good to say in their facebook shoutout then they should shut up. It infuriates me when some people are making fun of the current situation and posting stupid comments. It isn't funny!

Mother Nature has always her way of getting back at us for the things we've done. And when she does, it's not going to be pretty. I couldn't forget the time when our country suffered a massive flood and landslide. I don't want it to happen again. How soon do we realize it's time to take care of our planet? It's the only place we have and the only place we can live in. It's sad to ponder that it takes a calamity before we heed the warning. It takes a disaster to claim lives before we take a step. The signs are everywhere. We see and feel it everyday that something is not just right. But we are too busy to even listen what Nature is telling us. She's speaking to us and she's channeling it the way we will never forget.

To those who are reading this post, please include in your prayers those who are severely affected by flood and landslide in some parts of Visayas and Mindanao in the Philippines.

Filipinos amidst calamity

Watching the news, video clips and photos of flood in manila would send me shiver, grief and sympathy for my kababayans out there. Who would have thought a month’s worth of downpour in just 12 hours will cause flood water to rise as high as 2-storey buildings and drive people to their roofs, drenched and cold in rainwater, waiting for help while thoughts of not making it alive crossed their mind? The aftermath of typhoon Ondoy is heart-wrenching. Cars floating around like toys. Thousands fled from their homes as flood water rose up to the roofs of their houses. (I just couldn’t imagine the massive cleaning it would take to scrape all the mud when the water recedes.) Dead human bodies lying around in the corner, in the riverbanks and under the debris of fallen roofs. It is so heart-wrenching to see these people suffer.

Somehow I feel lucky for being spared from this catastrophic blow. But my heart goes out to all the unprepared victims of Ondoy. Nature really has its own way of getting back at us. Reminding us of our obligation in such unthinkable and disastrous way. Maybe our busy lives make us neglect our prime duties of preserving and taking care of our planet. Or have we been worshipping all our material possessions leaving our faith in God on the edge? 

For whatever reason there is, most of us are lucky to be alive and not sharing the same fate as them. But instead, let us make the most of our existence and do everything we can to reach out and help the typhoon victims. Donating food, medicines, old clothes or just anything and any means of alleviating them from this blow would surely go a long way. There have been a lot of organizations around the country who are putting up everything they can to help out. For this, I feel proud that amidst the crisis we’ve been going through as a nation or as an individual, the “Bayanihan” spirit is living within us. We are Filipinos, we are strong, and together, we can pull through this and surmount this calamity.