I am guilty.
I am guilty of being selfish.
And I realize this the minute I saw pictures of the victims of Sendong…
How does one feel losing all your belongings, a home, a loved-one all at once? You cannot even begin to imagine or empathize. My sister and I were at a party the night it happened and the next two days, we had trouble with the internet. I heard about it but didn’t think it would be devastating. After all, CDO is prone to floods which are at the most, knee-high.
It was Sunday when I texted some of my friends in CDO. One friend said they didn’t take the warning seriously but glad that they were safe. One told me that her father was on their roof most of the night and they were only able to get him in the morning. He is now recuperating in the hospital.
It’s the end of the world.
That’s what my eldest son says. How do you refute that? You cannot say that it isn’t. Who indeed knows when it will be? I can only tell him, “Then if it is, maybe you should spend your days doing what’s important.” Rather than buying expensive gadgets, use it for something else. I remember my youngest son, Tommy say,”Kuya, kung wala na tayong makain, yang laruan mo na lang kakainin mo!” (If we don’t have anything to eat, you would have to eat your toys).
Introspectively, do I practice what I preach? Sometimes, our closets get filled with clothes and stuff. Some we have bought but have only worn once or twice.. Shoes, Bags, some so-so, but some so expensive that we shield it from the rain before ourselves..I am guilty of buying things I don’t really need. I would know this because buyer’s remorse would set in as soon as I get home.
I have cleared my closet of some items. Most especially the ones which are only there because I just love to see a colorful wardrobe. I tell my sons, how can you say you don’t have enough shirts when you can’t even move the hangers when you try to pull a shirt out? How many things do we actually need to live…
I’ve printed an article about living a life that’s clutter-free. I loved that and maybe I can incorporate it in one of my future articles. The Christmas season is not helping me with that resolve. It gives us reason to spend and get a little outrageous with the buying.. No matter how hard I try to get rid of things, I end up having more. It’s a cycle..a routine. A hard habit to break.
A friend says while rummaging for things to donate, it’s hard to let go…
It will be so much harder if what we have to let go is… a loved one, right? I feel so guilty when I see that picture of a crying father carrying her daughter’s muddied and lifeless body in his arms…
If only we could see that we have more than enough, how grateful we should be…
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