A picture of a lifeline is like an anchored line thrown as a support to someone falling or drowning. A lifeline is regarded as a source of salvation in a crisis. Support that enables people to survive or to continue doing something. It is a line thrown from a vessel that people can cling to in order to save themselves from drowning. That is what the dictionary says.
December 16-December 17, 2011
I remember that evening so well. So clear that sometimes it still haunts me whenever i hear rainfall. A month has passed, but memories are still so fresh that it couldn't be forgotten so easily.
It was ten in the evening when the water rose and gradually entered our house. This was not extraordinary since a heavy rain usually results to water seeping into cracks at the kitchen part of our house. My six year old sister was with me in our room, while my parents were trying to stop the water from coming in. Then by around 12 midnight, electricity was out. I tried to sleep as I was very tired all throughout that week.
At approximately two-o'clock dawn, the rain stopped and all water was taken out from the kitchen. Because of that, my parents decided to rest and sleep as they were already so exhausted by this time.
I was half asleep when my mom entered the room and accidentally pricked her hand from a wood on our door, thus, leaving a tiny piece piercing her nail. My dad tried removing it, but it was too hard for him since it was very dark. Hearing the commotion I stood up and volunteered to help my mom as I couldn't stand her hurting finger. She sounded so much in pain over so small a wound. Little did we know this episode was instrumental in us from being being trapped inside our house and escape injury or even death.
Whenever I remember that scenario (my mom being pricked by the piece of wood) , all I could think of is that it was a blessing in disguise because seconds later when that happened, I heard a loud bang and bubble-like sounds coming from the outside.
Immediately, I asked my dad where the sounds were from. He was alarmed by the unusual sounds too. So he rushed outside to check out what was happening and what caused the odd sounds. Just a few seconds later, we all heard wave-like sounds that seemed coming towards our direction.
It was then that my dad, who was still outside checking in the dark, shouted and called us to come out of the house immediately. He told us to leave everything and just run as fast as we can to get out of the house. Mother went ahead to heed his instructions while I also jumped up in quick response.
I immediately grabbed my cellphone because it was the only thing within my reach and I carried my sister to the living room.
When I reached our living room, the water is already rising, and our windows which were closed were already dripping with water from the outside, which meant that the water was already high and still rising.
It was very dark and the only light we relied on was from a tiny flashlight in my dad's key chain. Immediately, my dad carried my sister, while I tried opening our front door, but it was already locked tight probably due to mounting pressure of water and mud.
I tried pulling the door a couple of times, but it never budged an inch at all. Unspeakable fear gripped my heart. My mind was saying, "we are getting trapped, we are getting trapped."
Fortunately, my dad was very quick and opened our back door. And upon opening, we just realized that water was so high and the current so strong, that we were all trying to swim while heading towards our gate.
I grabbed my 80-year old grandmother by the arm to keep her moving, because she was too old to run or wade through the thick water as we were doing.
As soon as we reached our garage, my mom told me to open the gate so that we could escape out towards the street by car. It was only this time that I found myself in panic mode and my body was shaking. Then I realized I couldn't breathe properly.
It became worse when I tried opening the gate and saw the raging water neck-high filling our street. What I saw was our street had become raging torrent; like an angry river.
I was really shocked that I wanted to cry but couldn't cry because I couldn't sort out my emotions.
In those few seconds we were talking, my dad then told us that our next resort was to climb on the roof, and if the water reaches the roof, we would swim to find a higher place. That was the plan.
I was the first one to reach the roof, I climbed via the roof of our car.
Now, whenever I look back, I still don't know how I did that; those tiny pieces of my coming up the roof evade me.
My mom, pushing up my sister, and then dad helping grandma followed, and I immediately carried my sister over me because I was in a secure spot on our roof.
We stayed on the roof for almost seven hours, as we waited for the water to finally recede and it seemed like ages. I was crying and shaking the whole time, punctuated by assurance that help could come anytime, or a sense of humor deriving from sounds and scenes from the other houses. This was all happening while still in the shadows, amidst the backdrop of high water below and intense blackness of dawn. I kept telling myself to wake up, convincing myself that it was all just a bad dream. Everything was just surreal. I kept denying while in that situation, that this was happening to us.
I kept crying to the point that I couldn't catch my breath. I just couldn't understand what was happening that time. I was scared. I thought that we would die anytime. It was very agonizing; emotionally excruciating. My cellphone was literally a light and a beacon. One of our lifelines that time, this small gadget connected us to some loved ones who started to pray for us in the distance. But God, in prayer, knows no distance. When I finally held myself and started to pray, I found myself having the ease to breathe, finally; until light started to come from the horizon.
While on the roof, I realized that nothing really lasts in this world. But I know that; we know that cerebrally, cognitively. Earthly existence is wasted if spent too much on things that in the final analysis do not matter. In the end, what matters are the things that are not seen, that which has Life; that which cannot die or end. I have encountered within me and discovered for myself that life is so fragile. Have I done what I am supposed to do? The purpose why I am here on earth? Have I done what is not wasteful? And what are these that should last? Then, on the roof, and until today, I have been sorting all these things and my 16 years of existence.
What the "calamity" showed me in real time, more than in 4D was beyond fear itself. There were decisions and steps to be made.
Because of what had happened, I realized so many things.
That in a snap our lives would be gone.
That God gives and God takes away.
All the more, there is a realization of a few non-negotiables: the reality and nearness of God in Christ (He is Real); that anytime, death is undeniably true and real; that there are choices we can and still make about what to do with our lives; that there is no such thing as coincidences or accidents (there is a plan, God's plan); and that, lastly, (heeding instructions, even small ones) are critical. The list can still go on, but I have just chosen the pressing ones.
And I kept thinking what really matters, what really lasts. I remembered a quote from a book I read saying:
"Only one life twill soon be past, Only what's done for Christ will last"
A picture of a lifeline is like an anchored line thrown as a support to someone falling or drowning. A lifeline is regarded as a source of salvation in a crisis. Support that enables people to survive or to continue doing something. It is a line thrown from a vessel that people can cling to in order to save themselves from drowning.
This post is entitled "Lifeline". Sooner or later we all will see in life that everything fails. We have tangibles which we consider as our lifelines in our lifetime. The splinter on my mom's finger, my cellphone, the car, my dad's assurances, his instructions, were all tangible lifelines. But wrapping all these material and human connections, is one main ultimate Lifeline. It is a person, a huge, uncontainable Person.
When we feel so helpless, where do we get help? From people? They are humans too as well and they will fail. Our lifeline is our source of Salvation, and when I think of Salvation I can only think of one person - Jesus Christ. The true lifeline. I could look forward everyday, because I have hope. I know that everything happens for a purpose.
This is really a comforting thing.
Right now, my family is already safe and we are moving on. We can even be thankful that we are included in the flashflood, because It is easier to sympathize when you experience the same thing.
I am thankful that I realized what really lasts. Life is really, really, so short. In my perspective, I am determined to make my life count. And I know my True Lifeline. I hope people will do too.
Whenever I remember that scenario (my mom being pricked by the piece of wood) , all I could think of is that it was a blessing in disguise because seconds later when that happened, I heard a loud bang and bubble-like sounds coming from the outside.
Immediately, I asked my dad where the sounds were from. He was alarmed by the unusual sounds too. So he rushed outside to check out what was happening and what caused the odd sounds. Just a few seconds later, we all heard wave-like sounds that seemed coming towards our direction.
It was then that my dad, who was still outside checking in the dark, shouted and called us to come out of the house immediately. He told us to leave everything and just run as fast as we can to get out of the house. Mother went ahead to heed his instructions while I also jumped up in quick response.
I immediately grabbed my cellphone because it was the only thing within my reach and I carried my sister to the living room.
When I reached our living room, the water is already rising, and our windows which were closed were already dripping with water from the outside, which meant that the water was already high and still rising.
It was very dark and the only light we relied on was from a tiny flashlight in my dad's key chain. Immediately, my dad carried my sister, while I tried opening our front door, but it was already locked tight probably due to mounting pressure of water and mud.
I tried pulling the door a couple of times, but it never budged an inch at all. Unspeakable fear gripped my heart. My mind was saying, "we are getting trapped, we are getting trapped."
Fortunately, my dad was very quick and opened our back door. And upon opening, we just realized that water was so high and the current so strong, that we were all trying to swim while heading towards our gate.
I grabbed my 80-year old grandmother by the arm to keep her moving, because she was too old to run or wade through the thick water as we were doing.
As soon as we reached our garage, my mom told me to open the gate so that we could escape out towards the street by car. It was only this time that I found myself in panic mode and my body was shaking. Then I realized I couldn't breathe properly.
It became worse when I tried opening the gate and saw the raging water neck-high filling our street. What I saw was our street had become raging torrent; like an angry river.
I was really shocked that I wanted to cry but couldn't cry because I couldn't sort out my emotions.
In those few seconds we were talking, my dad then told us that our next resort was to climb on the roof, and if the water reaches the roof, we would swim to find a higher place. That was the plan.
I was the first one to reach the roof, I climbed via the roof of our car.
Now, whenever I look back, I still don't know how I did that; those tiny pieces of my coming up the roof evade me.
My mom, pushing up my sister, and then dad helping grandma followed, and I immediately carried my sister over me because I was in a secure spot on our roof.
We stayed on the roof for almost seven hours, as we waited for the water to finally recede and it seemed like ages. I was crying and shaking the whole time, punctuated by assurance that help could come anytime, or a sense of humor deriving from sounds and scenes from the other houses. This was all happening while still in the shadows, amidst the backdrop of high water below and intense blackness of dawn. I kept telling myself to wake up, convincing myself that it was all just a bad dream. Everything was just surreal. I kept denying while in that situation, that this was happening to us.
I kept crying to the point that I couldn't catch my breath. I just couldn't understand what was happening that time. I was scared. I thought that we would die anytime. It was very agonizing; emotionally excruciating. My cellphone was literally a light and a beacon. One of our lifelines that time, this small gadget connected us to some loved ones who started to pray for us in the distance. But God, in prayer, knows no distance. When I finally held myself and started to pray, I found myself having the ease to breathe, finally; until light started to come from the horizon.
While on the roof, I realized that nothing really lasts in this world. But I know that; we know that cerebrally, cognitively. Earthly existence is wasted if spent too much on things that in the final analysis do not matter. In the end, what matters are the things that are not seen, that which has Life; that which cannot die or end. I have encountered within me and discovered for myself that life is so fragile. Have I done what I am supposed to do? The purpose why I am here on earth? Have I done what is not wasteful? And what are these that should last? Then, on the roof, and until today, I have been sorting all these things and my 16 years of existence.
What the "calamity" showed me in real time, more than in 4D was beyond fear itself. There were decisions and steps to be made.
Because of what had happened, I realized so many things.
That in a snap our lives would be gone.
That God gives and God takes away.
All the more, there is a realization of a few non-negotiables: the reality and nearness of God in Christ (He is Real); that anytime, death is undeniably true and real; that there are choices we can and still make about what to do with our lives; that there is no such thing as coincidences or accidents (there is a plan, God's plan); and that, lastly, (heeding instructions, even small ones) are critical. The list can still go on, but I have just chosen the pressing ones.
And I kept thinking what really matters, what really lasts. I remembered a quote from a book I read saying:
"Only one life twill soon be past, Only what's done for Christ will last"
A picture of a lifeline is like an anchored line thrown as a support to someone falling or drowning. A lifeline is regarded as a source of salvation in a crisis. Support that enables people to survive or to continue doing something. It is a line thrown from a vessel that people can cling to in order to save themselves from drowning.
This post is entitled "Lifeline". Sooner or later we all will see in life that everything fails. We have tangibles which we consider as our lifelines in our lifetime. The splinter on my mom's finger, my cellphone, the car, my dad's assurances, his instructions, were all tangible lifelines. But wrapping all these material and human connections, is one main ultimate Lifeline. It is a person, a huge, uncontainable Person.
When we feel so helpless, where do we get help? From people? They are humans too as well and they will fail. Our lifeline is our source of Salvation, and when I think of Salvation I can only think of one person - Jesus Christ. The true lifeline. I could look forward everyday, because I have hope. I know that everything happens for a purpose.
This is really a comforting thing.
Right now, my family is already safe and we are moving on. We can even be thankful that we are included in the flashflood, because It is easier to sympathize when you experience the same thing.
I am thankful that I realized what really lasts. Life is really, really, so short. In my perspective, I am determined to make my life count. And I know my True Lifeline. I hope people will do too.
