Allow me to greet you another “happy new month”. It’s now October, and it’s my birth month. September is gone now leaving behind people who lost their homes, properties destroyed, lives lost, floods, and places which are still inundated by the rising waters caused by typhoon Pedring. We are a country where we experience heavy flooding every year, where more than twenty strong typhoons visit us everywhere in the archipelago but despite the knowledge that we are prone to such calamities, we still get caught in the middle, protecting our properties sometimes more than we protect our lives. Despite the danger, we stand up and face the storms. You might ask, where are we coming from? We are resilient amidst dangers brought by nature’s wrath. Sometimes, it really falls heavy on our shoulders but we take it as if it is our due, as if we are destined to experience such.
I was glued to the news reports on typhoon Pedring which has just left our country two days ago and typhoon Quiel which is presently dumping heavy rains and gusty winds in Northern Luzon, the same path that typhoon Pedring traversed. My heart breaks seeing those houses blown by the strong winds and those who are still awaiting rescue in some towns in Bulacan where the flood waters have reached the second level of their homes. It reminds me of the ordeal we had with typhoon Ondoy two years ago. It is so easy to say,” evacuate the place , go to safer grounds” but when you are in such a predicament, you try to save as much of your possessions from the floods because you know that after the storm, it would be hard, so really hard to start all over again. It is so easy to empathize when you are just watching it on your TV screens in the comfort of your homes with enough food on your plate. What about those whose houses were destroyed in a blink of an eye and all that are left are soiled clothing and a scattering of a few possessions which can no longer be used? What about those who are on their rooftops because they have nowhere else to go, no cover on their backs despite the cold?
Despite all the setbacks, we carry on. Circumstances may push us to the limits sometimes but our faith in a loving God will always be our anchor in times like this. Prayers help and praying for each other’s safety is the best recourse we can make. Just think that the sun always shine after the rain.
And it’s 84 days to go before Christmas! That’s really something we could all look forward to.
Dreams And Escapes 