...weathering the storm...

Much has happened since my last post...the most significant one is the destruction of Typhoon Ondoy [international name: KETSANA]..my thoughts and prayers go out to everyone! My weekend during the Ondoy attack was a rather unusual one. First of all, my college friends and I were supposed to have a drinking overnight session in one of our friend's house - Steph, at Malabon. Unfortunately [unfortunate for her, fortunate for us] Steph suddenly came down with teh chickenpox..so change of plans. We just decided to have the event here are at my house instead. So the drinking session went on fine, some of my other friends like Dennis and Jess [the couple],  and Toffee [the balikbayan] couldn't stay overnight so they had to leave in the wee hours of the morning. It wasn't really raining hard that time so they were all able to go home safely. So the people left in my house during that time was of course me, Xtian, Apollo and Anna..the mythical four [it should be mythical five but Steph was scratchy]. It was around 3:30AM when we all decided to call it a night..so we huddled in the spacious master's bedroom and  strategically positioned ourselves on the bed so that everyone fits and no one gets squished [At this point, I'm amazed and greatly honored as to how much Anna, the only girl in our group that time, trusts the three of us guys, imagine sharing a bunk with three intoxicated men, thanks Anna, deeply honored here].

When we went to sleep, it wasn't raining..but when we got up in the morning around 9ish...lo and behold!!! dark skies and running water in the street...and then the news started coming in...so my vistors (Apollo from Muntinlupa, Xtian from Marikina, Anna from Cainta) all had to spend an extra day here. It was on that stormy Saturday that we weathered the storm. That day, I realized that the activities that we did as we weathered Ondoy are the same things that we (or at least I, I dunno about you guys) could do whenever we weather our storms in life, storms being challenges and problems that we face. Allow me to share these [my, my dave...this is becoming a quite serious post]

Step #1: Get up and take a look around!!!

That Saturday started with us getting up and realizing that something wrong is happening. It was super dark and raining super hard. So what we did was to open the news, get on line and figure out what was happening. In life, I think this should be the first thing to do. When things aren't going your way, wake the hell up and survey the situation. Figure out what's going on, what's causing all these  problems? Where are they coming from?

Step #2: Sit down and compose yourself.

After waking up and realizing that it's gonna be a stormy day, I went downstairs with Xtian and Anna, Apollo hasn't woken up yet [A bit slow in Step #1 I guess]. I reached for my Dad's sleek coffee maker and started brewing coffee. And that is exactly what relaxes me and gets my mind in the game [that he is..wahahahaha..sorry].  In life, whenever we realize that something is wrong or shit is about to be thrown on our face, our usual first reaction in to panic, I believe it is very important during this part, that we keep our emotions in check, calm down and clear our minds.

Step #3: Clean Up!!

As Me and Anna sipped away at our coffee (being coffe junkies) and chomped down on the little vienna sausages, Xtian was cleaning up the mess and the food that we made last night, the stuff that we were intoxicated to too clean up. He washed the dishes, threw the trash, what have you [thanks Manong Xtian!! hahaha]. That same scenario applies when we weather challenges. I think its very crucial that we get rid of the things that mess us up. We should throw away our fears, apprehensions, doubts and unnecessary actions and words that would just stain us and  hold us back.

Step #4: Plan a course of action.

We spent the next couple of hourse figuring out what to do. What we are gonna do about this situation, how we are gonna eat, how my visitors are gonna get home. We planned and made decisions. And we did all that while watching a kid flip over in his palanggana in the baha, The Big Bang Theory, HIMYM, Lie to Me etc. We need to plan before we go out and meet our storms. We need to figure out the steps that we are to take, the resources that we have and the options that are presented to us. But remember to smile and enjoy as you do those things. Planning is a grueling task, lighten up!!! Being too serious is gonna make you look old and cranky [and might piss other people off as well]

Step #5: Work It!!!

No food place likes to deliver since flood waters were rising, so we had no choice but to go out ourselves and buy food. So what Xtian and Apollo did was buy food in the Siningag Express for our lunch and dinner. My visitors also started calling their homes to tell their parents that they will be a day late in coming home and that we are all fine and safe. I on the other hand started to call my relatives (some of them were actually the ones who called home) and figure out where everyone was. After doing all the planning and thinking, the next thing to do is to well...actually do it! Execute the plan! and stick with! Remember that when you start to perform it, you are committed to it, no turning back. Just like Apollo and Xtian, when they braved the flood water in our street, they knew there was no turning back. Go all the way!!

Step #6: Reward yourself

We ate, we rested, we watched some more TV series. We were fortunate enough to have been able to get food, so we really ate!! We even ordered pizza when the rain stopped and the flood water disappeared!! Yum!!! In life, we should NEVER forget to give ourselves a pat on the back. Let us not forget to reward ourselves, get some rest after working hard (whether we will win or lose). Let's not be too hard on ourselves.

Step #7 Let it be.

Soon it was night time again. After doing all the stuff that we can, all we could do now is to wait it out. Wait and see if the storm dissipates or comes roaring again. We did the things that we could control, now we just have to wait and see what happens with the things that are out of our hands. Are we gonna go through the storm again tomorrow? We don't know and we don't wanna worry about it just yet. Today's problems were enough for today. I guess..that's just how it is in life. We can only do so much...there are far greater things that are out of our control. The important thing is we did what we can, now it's timee to for us to stay still and be at peace.

Special Step: Pray

This step can be performed anytime, before/during/after the steps enumerated above. Please, to whatever deity you pray to...don't ever ever forget to do this one.

Whheeeew!! That was one of the longest blogs I've ever done. I hope the person reading this isn't asleep yet. Those things above are my own realizations, and I plan to use those steps in my day-to-day dealings in life. I could be wrong but what the heck, I'll worry about it when I get there....hehehe....one last lesson learned here: In whatever storm that we weather, we will always need people around that would weather it with us..friends, family, loved ones, anyone...remember...No man is an island....

[I thank God for giving me the blessing of not experiencing what the other victims of Ondoy experience. I pray that God may keep them strong through this darkest hour, to give them grace to rise above all the flood. I pray that we, as one nation, come together in this time of need.AMEN. Live Jesus in our hearts forever!]