I still could remember the things that happened days before that fateful catastrophic event, the day when almost everything that we worked hard for, just flew in a matter of seconds. That fateful day when the Super Typhoon Yolanda with International Code Name Haiyan, and which was the strongest typhoon ever recorded in history, made landfall and hit us directly in Leyte.

 

Yes, we were there. I was there. My daughter and I were there.

At this very same day and hour, one year ago, I was consumed with anger and depression because I felt like I am alone to carry all of the burdens in the family, financially and emotionally. That is when I felt like I am on the lowest point of my life and I thought of leaving everything behind. I was mad and I despised some of my relatives that caused me so much trouble.

 

But then, the Super Typhoon came and it seemed like all of my fears, worries, anger, depressions, and all, was taken away from me. It was then replaced with care, love, and compassion for the rest of my family and my surviving neighbors and community. 

 

Despite the devastation and thousands of lives that the super typhoon caused us, I think there are still things to be thankful of. That we survived and we learned lessons from that catastrophe.