beyond toxicity

Today, I rose early from bed to check the clouds. As I opened our door, it’s still a bit dusky but  it’s so comforting to see a bloom after an incessant downpour.

I woke up yesterday with nothing unusual on my weekend mornings. Everything was fine until after lunch time.  I’m just glad my wife chose not to attend to her work. She advised her students the night before that she’ll be absent for the reason that they’re supposed to have only one surgical operation for their entire 8-hour shift and the doctor on duty is noted for being strict on not allowing clinical instructors to have their nursing students observe and/or assist on cases.  And man, her decision came out to be her wisest to date and served as a blessing in disguise for her and her class to avoid the rampage of typhoon ONDOY.

My wife, Tina, our son Gabby and I were planning to go on another family bonding somewhere in the Metro but we noticed that Mr. Sun hasn’t shown his might.  Heavy rains  kept us curling up in bed. We thought it was an ordinary rainy day.  We just enjoyed steaming hot mugs of coffee, hot chocolate for our 5-year-old and Goldilocks’  plain puto (rice cakes) while watching TV and facebooking.

We honestly didn’t expect that typhoon Ondoy will soak the entire Metro Manila in heavy floods. We caught early news on TV and saw its effects on stranded individuals on streets and on the roofs of their homes. Floods were heaviest more than chest-deep at most areas of the city.

It was very depressing to watch on news a wheelchair-borne man wearing raincoat who was trying to cross a flooded main street amidst the traffic.  Watching children and elderlies who were still left unrescued wasn’t easy;  much more seeing those who were unfortunate to succumb to death.

Phone calls and messages via YM and SMS kept me busy as my relatives verified our safety. My mom who’s in UAE texted me to inquire if we’re OK; my aunt in the US  also called my dad in Pasig City to check them. The compound where my paternal grandmother and other relatives in Marikina live and the house of my uncle and cousins in Karangalan Village in Pasig-Cainta were all devastated by the floods.  

My family and I with our household help were most blessed to have chicken adobo and rice for dinner. Although we had it with candle lights, as power was only restored around 9PM in our place in Quezon City, I still feel so lucky and grateful we had something on our plate and that we’re kept dry, and we’re intact.  I and my family are so thankful that we decided to be home and remained safe without floods on our streets.  My wife and I encouraged our son to pray and to thank the good Lord for so much blessings.

I wish authorities would do more to extend help to afflicted families.

Bravo to those multinational companies, Filipinos here and abroad and all people who are pledging their monetary and in-kind help via NGOs and TV stations that are putting in fund raising drives.  May God bless you a thousand fold.

Let us continue to pray for all those who are impaired by typhoon Ondoy.

How are you and your families? 

I hope you’re safe too.