Christmas time is the most anticipated season of the year. It brings joy, fun, and laughter. It also brings lovely and magical moments as we celebrate the Year-end.
What happens when suddenly we feel sad about untoward events such as destructive typhoons hitting the country just before Christmas. It's supposed to be a "Merry Christmas" for all, but the natural calamity destroyed people's joyful and peaceful Christmas vibe.
The last time I experienced a stormy Christmas was on the eve of December 24 in my hometown in the Visayas, a few hours before Christmas day. After celebrating the Christmas Eve mass, a strong typhoon left us with a power outage. It was supposed to be a happy "Noche Buena," but we had a candle lighting on a dark Christmas night.
That was my first experience of a stormy Christmas. Since my childhood days, the Christmas season was dry. However, with the effect of climate change, we'll be experiencing a wet and stormy Christmas. It's becoming more destructive year after year. And it has left more families to become homeless for Christmas.
On December 17, 2021, super typhoon "Odette" hit many Philippine provinces in Visayas and Mindanao. It has caused massive damage to properties and businesses. It had caused injuries and casualties. That's a sorrowful moment for those families who have lost their loved ones in celebration of Christmas.
After the typhoon, the devastating situation continues. Many families lost their homes and suffered from power outages and a lack of necessities like food and water. That's prolonged suffering for those affected individuals and families.
Christmas day is approaching. We help affected countrymen in any way possible to lift their spirits and for them to feel loved and cared for. We feel connected as a nation in times of calamity, and we feel the suffering of others because we've experienced it and know how it feels to be a victim of a catastrophe.
This Christmas is about our optimistic hopes and wishes for everyone to become more resilient. To rise again despite the struggles and suffering brought by a calamity. Hoping that people will still remember the essence of celebrating Christmas and putting even a little smile on their faces.
This Christmas is about expressing our gratitude. No matter what happened, we're still thankful to the Divine for the good, the bad, and the worst experience that has shaken our lives.
We have a shared humanity. Wherever we are, we think about the welfare of others, and this time we send them good wishes of positivity and recovery.
©️ 2021 Del Cusay
