Typhoon Ondoy. Where was I that time? I was at the store in Marquinton when it happened. Everything happened really fast. All I remember now is the water, the tears, and how shaken I was after we transferred to the second floor of the mall. Tears? I was talking to my brother and I could not help the tears that fell after I learned of what they were going through at home. Though our situation was not different in any way, it was still overwhelming to learn that my family was shivering in the cold, trying to save what's left of our house while I was at work. Overwhelming.
I could not get myself to sleep while I was at Yellow Cab's 3rd floor. All I could think of was our house. We've lived in that house for 8 years, and have resided in Cainta for 24 years. Ondoy was the one and only typhoon that I have ever experienced that made a major and drastic change to our lives. As I waited for my ASM's mobile phone to charge, I thought of what's going to happen after the deluge. How will we go about our lives? How will we go back to being normal? I kept on thinking about the times spent at that house when it was still normal.
I did not really dread going back to our house after the floods. What I dreaded more was seeing my mom dread the future. That was exactly how she was when I got back to the house. I saw papa sitting outside the gates by the plant box. Seeing him looking so tired made me want to cry. Then I was met by mama. And it was a great challenge for me to hold back the tears.
I went inside and saw mud all over the garage, the garden, the living room, the bedrooms, the dining room, kitchen, and bathrooms. I learned that the water inside reached 5 feet, just like the water in the store. I saw my room. It was a huge mess! My bed, which my cats used as their refuge and their toilet, toppled over. My book shelf, which was still standing, was emptied. My Twilight Saga, which came all the way from the US, was gone. My sister's pocketbooks, MBA books, and some of my college books were also gone. My dresser, which contained all my kikay stuff from tweezers to lotion, became a total junk after mud swallowed it whole. I tried to salvage some bottles of lotion and (HAHAHA) my age miracle cream. The clothes left in my cabinet were all brown. My laptop table was gone, with my laptop, of course.
All of the mess Ondoy did to my room is now gone. Do I feel sorry in any way? Honestly, I don't. What I feel is a renewed hope that the future will be brighter with all the clutter gone. Our home is cleared off of unnecessary clutter: old magazines, old pocketbooks, clothes which we don't use anymore, antique furnitures with no value anymore ('cause my mama would always want to refurbish it). Yes, our house may not have it's old glory. Yes it may need a little repair here and there. Yes, I've lost my Twilight Saga. Yes, my room is like a prison cell with just a bed and a closet in it. This is the total definition of starting anew. All those material things can be easily replaced and invested on. We may start slow, but at least, we started...and we're together. My laptop can be replaced. But lost lives can never be replaced. Someone out there have lost their father, mother, daughter, son, brother, sister, cousin, aunt, uncle, grandparents, or friend. But we are lucky to be starting a new life together, without anyone missing. This deserves a thanksgiving to the One up above. No one in my family was hurt. We are lucky to have our yaya, Elsie, to help us with all the work. We are just so thankful that God spared us. I believe this means something: a second chance at life. A life which I plan to spend full of love and gratefulness!
