today's view from my bed
I swear, I've never been happier to see this sun shine. This week was just crazy. Super-duper crazy. I mean, who would have thought that we were gonna have another Ondoy in our midst, in the same lifetime??? I swear, 2009 was deja vu-ed all over again last Tuesday as Marikina experienced flooding again, but not that isolated. Sadly, this time, it was Quezon City that was hit hard first. Pictures coming out of my Twitter feed revealed knee-high, thigh-high, waist-deep, chest-deep waters in familiar territories I frequent, areas I never experienced to have waters that much before, like Philcoa for instance. That was crazy.
Last Tuesday. Street at the back of my building is my barometer if things are worse.
No flood, it's generally okay. Floods like this, then the river ran wild again.
In front of the mall, waters rose to waist-high, they said, many hours after I took this photo,
making it impossible to pass through this area going in and out of Marikina.
Of course the usual suspects were already there on the list, like Pasig and us here in Marikina. But what surprised me this time was Cainta. I mean man, all points going inside this area from my area was all blocked by floods. This made me sad because I was hoping to get a glimpse of my girlfriend before she flies off to work again abroad. The last time I saw her was when her mother was laid to rest last Sunday. Never even got a chance to kiss her properly, just a simple goodbye beso, I think, and a quick hug. Even the hug felt obligatory since we were in their house and well, we are still on the down low there even if I think everybody already knows. You know how most families have the "don't ask don't tell" principle when it comes to these relationships. (wrote about that before: read here) We're not totally out to them yet so we're still playing it by ear. But I think her other family members already got the idea with my presence there during the wakes. I think I even sensed a nod of recognition from her kuya when he asked me to help him secure the pews on the church during the final mass. I appreciated that small gesture; meant a huge deal. Not sure about the dad, though, but I think her dear mom also gave the nod already before she left. (And, for a brief moment, after. Yes sometimes my senses are open that way, too.) Sometimes, you just feel these things, and you have to trust what you feel. I'm good with that.
Thursday scene. Took a walk to survey things outside.
River still overflowed overtaking the jog and bike lanes on the banks.
Things looking a bit ominous on the other side of the river. See the bar places
at the left side getting overtaken by the river again. Goodbye inuman for now.
But well, I guess you can't fight with mother nature. I was just glad that she was able to make it out of their flooded town, and even gladder that her sis and dad were able to get back in unharmed. See, in times like these, abilidad talaga ang nangingibabaw, kasama na ang dasal siyempre, at ang kasagutan dito ng sumagot sa ating dasal. Told her to just have faith that they'll make it, because I know they won't get harmed. Yes, sometimes, you have to trust your instincts and have faith in things, too.
My family is another story. Veterans of the Provident Village mishap, they learned already. My tita's house there is already abandoned and my tito's now with my cousin and my other cousin is settled somewhere else. Just one cousin left there and good thing they were able to go out before the waters rose again. Too bad for my other tita's house that got submerged again, this time in Twinville subdivision. I don't know what they'll do with that now. They were able to recover it last time. Well, we'll see. As for my folks, they're okay and good. Our house is in a higher area in our village so no worries there.
Thanks to the weather bureau/science dept initiative Project NOAH,
I was able to "spy"on my parents' house in reel-time to see if the area
was affected by floods. Gotta love technology this way.
Good thing I'm also in higher ground. Waters didn't even reach the lobby like before. Everything's back to normal and business as usual around this area so it's good. My favorite neighborhood coffice place was just closed the last time I went down so I don't know if they're open already. So I just decided to stay in today and write here.
Good thing my outside world connections were also intact during those times. I'm so fucking glad I got a cable TV subscription early this year, and decided to avail of it for one whole year. I was able to see what was going on around me, outside and everywhere. The great news footage were helpful to relay news to people who need it, who didn't have access. Also tweeted some photos of the floods to several news carriers so I'm glad my internet was alive and well during that time. Times like these, my internal media person kicks in talaga, the default set-up to report things happening. My inner (photo)journalist is still there, thank goddess. It comes in handy. And actually, I've been thinking of tapping into that more, but that's for another blogpost na lang.
photos processed via instagram
What a week. What a way to start a new month. Endings, washings, being knocked down but having the gall not to stay down. As always, we get up, and we just don't stand up, we walk and forge on ahead. We remember lessons from these circumstances, but we also learn how to move on. Like what the current affirmative posters circulating says, the Filipino spirit is waterproof.
Not only waterproof but creative as well. As always. Photo grabbed from here.
Indeed, it is. Never believe otherwise.
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