It was a sunny morning yet the clouds are dark then I am walking through the school’s alley but I see no classrooms. The walk used to be a little longer but now it seems to lead me a shorten way. I stepped on a seemingly unfamiliar office but nothing is in there. I quickly rushed outside and the leaves of my favorite neighboring trees are on the ground, they voluntarily fall. I run as fast as I could and the pavements squeezed me into a narrow view and I scream…scream!!! And I continue screaming as loud as I can!
Then I opened my eyes, wrapped with my blanket and safely lying on bed. Yes, I am sweating! It was an ordinary day, I really should say. So I did my daily morning routine, held my bag and just when I realized I am on a boat on my way to Siargao for the Caraga Regional Athletic Meet.
I got fancied by the waves and the sun seems friendly as it touches my skin on board. The wonders of this Earth are seen through the landscapes of the bountiful mountains where the boat passes. Long had I wished that the world would stop spinning and would allow me to be dancing with the wind, chasing the waves and stretching my veins through the mountains’ height or through the grains of the sand, mesmerizing seas or through the clear blue skies? When would I be able to do the selfish desires of my mind? When would I be able to find a seat ready for along lazy day? When would I be able to be with my own self again? With a playful and alluring expression of my eyes, I smiled and suddenly a part of me stops. Oh No! Exactly! The authorities had stopped the Regional Athletic Meet due to the rising incidences of the Covid-19 outbreak which has become pandemic in just a number of days! Then why I am heeding towards the island?
The restrictions from the authorities made me reluctant to stop doing the things I love doing. The fantasy of having “me-time” was actually just below the list because the call of duty is my daily driving force. Going to Siargao amidst the cancellation of the event means that somehow, I have had fulfilled another mission of my work.
To do the fast track, after a day in Siargao Island, here I am again in the city. My thoughts kept on wandering as I lay down my bed and suddenly recollected the dream I had few days ago. Just when I realized that dreams sometimes really do come true. In mystical ways we cannot explain, dreams do give us signs of times. I must not deny, from that day on, I will not be able to the things I usually do. And yes, classes were cancelled, students were told to stay at home while complying with some of the requirements, teachers were instructed to finish school paper works at home too while some of the personnel were asked to do the skeleton workforce. Everything has changed in just a blink of an eye. The change has become even drastic as everyone was not allowed to go out from their homes without quarantine pass, working pass, travel pass. Masks and alcohol has become the must-haves of every individual and for stringent reasons, proper hand washing has been reinforced, re-taught and was greatly emphasized. Stores, food chains and other establishments were also instructed to minimize operations if not to temporarily close. The used to be normal has now become a memory…
As the days went by, the numbers on the clock seems so endless. Daytime seemed to be nighttime as well. Little did I know, I was able to do the chores at home that waited for quite a time. The consolation of spending time with seemingly nothing and enjoying it has become a routine. The quality time with the family members, loving moments with your pets playing whole day and even the small things that you are deprived of doing before are now just within the reach. It is because, a lot of our repetitive daily tasks have been interrupted, this would mean that this offers a great opportunity to rethink our habits and routines and make changes. The virus forces us to reflect on the changes to our daily life that we might want to keep also after the crisis. Through this economic positioning, we were able to scan the pages of our “my day” and see how people are actually enjoying the freeing of time. Nonetheless, there are also stories more than the smiles others put into a show. Others have extreme needs and they have felt the absence of those needs and prayed for having those at the right moment. The situation then gives us the opportunity to unleash the heroic emotions inside us. This is the best opportunity for us to extend our hands and be able to be of great help to others. This is the best time to have the greatest show of love and acceptance. So, I did and yes I have done all these opportunities. I believed I have showed courage to others, to be steadfast and to be brave. I felt I have portrayed how it is to be resilient and most of all how to be compassionate. By collective efforts, I have had shared not only the visible things I can afford sharing but the things mostly unfelt and unseen.
This moment has been so arduous for us, but let us all remember that in the dark, love can glow. It is during the landing of the plane from the horrible flight we can feel even stronger. It is during the empty times that we learn to value and appreciate the small things. We should be portraying all these positive virtues, because after all, only the brave souls survive imploring the aid of God Almighty. We can survive! We will all heal! This nation will rise once again and the whole world will.
Let the lessons of this pandemic be our teacher. Let its evaluated learning experiences be etched in our hearts and minds. That is how we should cope up. That is how we will completely heal.
To COVID-19 Pandemic, should I be thankful?