Saturday, June 5, 2010

THE NIGHTMARE THAT WAS ONDOY

Puzzled, it took a very long time for me to accept that I am a person who has been plagued, warned, protected, but above all, mentored by both my dreams and my nightmares. Now that I understood already what they are for, I take heed seriously every time. Although as of this writing I still sometimes have difficulty in deciphering them. When this happens though, the tendency for me is to wait by trusting and hoping for only the best, because pessimism kills. And it kills slowly, but always very surely.

The greatest nightmare yet that happened to us, Filipinos, was Ondoy. But instead of looking at it as a curse, let us look at it as a blessing-in-disguise where so much can be learned from. Considering, however, the death toll and the effecting displacement of people I know that this is very hard to do, impossible even.

For the past months I had been reading a book which was given to me by a dear old friend I haven’t been able to hear from for a long time now. The book talked about his (the author’s) personal interpretation of the Book of Revelation in the Holy Bible. In its first few pages I was having hesitations to finish it because I considered myself a consciously faithful follower of the Judeo-Christian teachings which focuses on forgiveness, acceptance, and respect.

My hesitations led me one time to take notice of and finally see the program offered by HISTORY Channel titled: GOD VS. SATAN (The Final Battle). It explained of the same likewise. But the program presented different translators as resource speakers for the presentation. They all presented the same probable scenarios as interpretations of the Book of Revelation which were all but frightening and scary for the Faithful, and every reason to tremble for the faithless people.

The following morning, as my young-mother officemate (who I consider one of those adopted daughters of mine) were talking about the program she asked me: “0o, ano? Kay nano sugad siton an iba na relihiyon? Sobra nira ginpo-focus an ira evangelization sa Book of Revelation.” I said: “Tingale tungod kay magtig-a man gud an mga ulo naton. Ug mag-itum an aton mga kasingkasing. (“Spare the rod, spoil the child.” stategy!?)” Which is another way of saying, we deserve probably to be threatened na in order to wake up and heed God’s call before it is too late.

But if we consider closely, mukhang patungo na nga tayo sa sinasabing “end times” as claimed by different interpreters. Climate change is a tangible indication of which. The analysts claimed that we had been badly devastated by Ondoy because we were not prepared for disasters of that kind. Sa unang dinig maniniwala tayo, kasi sa mga “bright boys” natin nanggaling ang assessment na ‘yan, e. Lalo pa nga’t third world country tayo na palagi na lang napag-iiwanan ng kabihasnan. Pero dahil di pa din naman tayo gaanong kabobohan, bandang huli maiisip natin ang Katrina ng Estados Unidos. USA, needless to say, is the most powerful country, politically speaking. At tatanungin na lang natin ang sarili natin (dahil wala namang patutunguhan kung makikipag-argumento tayo sa mga taong meron ding mga isyu): “Were the Americans also prepared for it?”

The truth, my friends, is NOTHING WILL EVER PREPARE US for calamities and un-fateful eventualities that we directly or indirectly caused. Lahat ng mga ito ay ibinabalik lang sa atin. Nature is in itself balance. That is why it will always survive. It is very flexible. Tayong mga tao ang hindi. Di tayo balanse at di tayo flexible. We must take our cue from nature. We should be ashamed of our selves. We are the ones who were given the gift of a thinking brain which made us the highest form of God’s creation, yet look at us?

Benjamin Franklin said: “Failure to prepare is preparing to fail.” We have seen so much destruction done to our Mother Earth, if we compare today from the yesteryears – to the golden years of our Mother Earth when she was young and respected. Al Gore’s presentation has a chilling effect on anybody who saw his documentation. Pero patuloy tayong nagbubulag-bulagan at nagbibingi-bingihan. Kaparte pa din lahat yan ng pagiging rebelde natin. We have remained prodigal sons and daughters. Kelan ba talaga tayo babalik sa Kanya?

I am a very strong believer of a metaphysical world. I believe that Elijah and Mother Mary did not physically die, but that they were taken away (physical and all) by God to a safe place where they rightfully belong. They deserve the kindness they got because of their unwavering Faith. God always protects His Faithful Children. He did the same to Noah.

Noong bagu-bago ipinakikita sa TV sets natin ang mga video clips (particularly that one of Channel 2 where there was a group of people on the roof na inaanod which caught countless merciful hearts worldwide) naiiyak ako for those poor souls. Ngayon, di ko na ma-qualify kung ano dapat ang maramdaman ko. Nalulungkot ako for the victims and at the same time naiinis din. Tigas naman kasi ng mga ulo natin! To simplify my issue, I resolve to always go back to what always works: PRAYER. Your Will be done, Father!

When we physically die daw, we just shift location (others call it a “crossover”) – to also where we belong – because there is no actual death naman daw talaga. Sabi nga, everything in time and space is a lie. All the truth is found only in the metaphysical plane. It is the destination which we must work hard to prepare in order not to fail.

Here’s hoping you pass the preparation not to fail, friends. Good luck! God bless.

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