Thursday, October 8, 2009

Happy Birthday, Thel!

It's Mum. It is Thelma her name. During good times, I simply call her Thel :)

Thel turns 57 today.



Also my dear bro, who turns 24.

Mum had a twin bro, but she lost him seven years ago.

Mum has an aunt who also was born on the 8th day of October.

Well, just wanna send a Happy Birthday greeting to the four of them :) *cheers*

Tuesday, October 6, 2009

Something To Be Thankful For



Just like a typical typhoon day, the coldness of the night made me extend my sleep up to past 1 in the afternoon last September 26. My sleep would have been longer if the noisy sounds of the heavy rain pouring on roofs didn't occur. I was having my late lunch when the power died due to the heavy rain with a little wind. After three hours of not having anything, TV, radio, my fone was dead, and mosquitoes were everywhere, I started complaining. "It was just a heavy rain, and they cut the electricity?!"

We didn't hear any news since then up to the next 27 hours. When the power went back, it was only then when my family learned how devastating the typhoon was. It's not that we didn't feel the typhoon, it's just we thought it was just a typical one since we didn't have any flood around my community.

Upon turning the TV on as the power went back, news about the typhoon was everywhere. Every local channel was having their special 'typhoon' coverage, which seldom happens.

Almost half the country, including the city where I live, were affected by the flood. Many establishments and houses were submerged in the six feet flood, some were even under the ten feet water. Many houses in exclusive villages were also struck by the rain water. Small houses that built nearby sea, river and creek were washed away by the strong flash flood.Cars were on top of each other after suffering from swept of the flood current. I even saw a refrigerator hanging on a bundle of electric cable that is about 15-20 feet high. National roads and major thoroughfares suddenly became a sea. And, of course, the shocking number of death that reached almost 300, and many are still missing.

As soon as the power went back that day, I immediately recharged my fone, and messages from friends started coming in, asking if I was affected by the devastating flood, and stuff. I then started calling our relatives that live in the affected areas, but we couldn't reach anyone. Mum started to worry, so on Monday, as the thoroughfares went passable, we went to one of her nieces to check-up. On our way there, we saw an area under a bridge that used to have number of houses, but now, nothing left. Affected cars were on the side street, a lot residents were full of mud on their skin that made me think, "you're not cool if you don't have mud on". Some were asking for money, food, clothes to the motorists. I pity them. I felt so helpless inside the cab. Luckily, it was just gooey mud that we saw as we arrived in the area. My cousin's house was doing better as Mum and I came in, it was after suffering from a waist-deep flood. They were just cleaning up the mess when we came. Mud was sticking everywhere, on every stuff of my lovely cousin, velvety couches, cabinets, drawers, furnitures, even the crisper of her fridge was full of nice-colored mud. It seemed there was mocha that spilled all all over the refrigerator.

The first time, and hopefully the last, flood I experience was when I was a little kid. Can't recall when, maybe I was 6 or 7. It was not that alarming. The flood that came in our house was just an ankle-deep, or not even. By then, as a kid, I hated the task of wading the water out. It sucks, I thought. But with what just happened to most of my countrymen, they wouldn't complain or lose hope, but instead be thankful that they are still alive. It was just flood that would subside, and their cars and other valuable stuff, they could earn and have another of them, they said.

There was just a little percentage of the areas in Metro Manila that were not affected, and luckily, it includes the community I live in. It was just then when I realized how fortunate my family is. It was the whole day blackout that I was complaining about when most were in danger. I was pissed out that I would miss my favourite TV show, when many lost their homes, some lost their lives. I guess that's something to be thankful for. Thanks to the Big Guy that my family was not affected by the flood, and so my other relatives, also some of my friends.

P.S. I wanna send a salute to the volunteers that considered as the modern heroes, who helped the typhoon victims. Also those who donated cash and goods. Hats off :)

Photos grabbed at:
http://www.timesnewsnetwork.com
http://www.nowpublic.com


When you get caught in the rain with no where to run
When you're distraught and in pain without anyone
When you keep cryin out to be saved but nobody comes
And you feel so far away that you just can't find your way home
You can get there alone
It's ok, won't you say

I can make it through the rain
I can stand up once again on my own and I know that I'm strong enough
to mend
And every time I feel afraid
I hold tighter to my faith and I live one more day and I make it
through the rain

And if you keep falling down, don't you dare give in
You will arise safe and sound, so keep pressing on steadfastly and
you'll find what you need to prevail
What you say


And when the wind blows
And shadows grow close
Don't be afraid
There's nothing you can't face
And should they tell you, you'll never pull through