Silver Lining

CEBU, Philippines - In the aftermath of the recent natural disasters, a wave of fright sweeps across the country. The whole nation shudders. Even people in places far away from the stricken localities begin to realize that they could have been the ones hit, and that perhaps it was by mere slim luck that they were spared.

The 7.2 magnitude earthquake in Bohol, which also affected Cebu and neighboring islands, caught everyone by surprise. People were just about starting a regular day in their lives when it came. There was hardly any sign of it coming.

It was different with the super typhoon that ravaged the other side of the Visayan region. The people of Samar and Leyte, and those in the rest of the areas along the storm's track, were prepared. They heeded the government's warning.

And yet the resulting destructions from both natural calamities are very similar. Although more deaths are reported in the typhoon hit areas, despite the timely warning and preparation. Given how mad nature has become in recent years, it seems we can never be ready enough for what's coming next.

My friend Teddy, a topnotch broadcast engineer, was putting up a cable TV system in Basilan when trouble broke out in Zamboanga. But he was okay, he assured me when I checked on him by text message. He said their project area was at a "very safe distance" from the fighting.

In a few days, though, fighting also erupted in Basilan between government forces and another faction of the Muslim independence movement. It was very close now. Teddy and his team had to flee, and wait until the situation in Basilan returns to normal.

While at home in Cebu, Teddy got a call from someone who was interested in the cable TV business. The guy invited him to their small town in Bohol, so Teddy could see for himself if the place was enough of a market. Teddy thought it was a good use of his idle time.

Just before Teddy could make the trip, the earthquake happened. He was only too grateful to have been spared from the tragedy. The residence of his prospective host had been toppled to the ground.  

When it was time to go back to Basilan, Teddy asked his team to go ahead of him. He decided to stay behind to meet up with a former classmate who was coming back from a work contract in the Middle East. Teddy had not heard from this old friend in years. 

His friend was coming home for good. He told Teddy that with some money he saved from working abroad, he intended to start a small business in their provincial town in Samar. Also, he invited Teddy to join them there for his parents' golden wedding anniversary on November 6.

Teddy promised to go. He had been feeling a little low for a time, and thought that a short vacation might be good for him. The series of gloomy events he had been through in recent months - starting from his long-time girlfriend's marriage to another man in June - had rendered him rather confused and weary.

Teddy planned of leaving for Samar on Monday, November 4, and intended to stay there for the rest of that week. But news of the coming typhoon made him change his mind. In a phone call to his friend, Teddy said he was instead coming after the typhoon had passed by.

There's no need to tell the rest of the story. We all know what happened next. Teddy is left all the more distressed.

Obviously, Teddy is lucky to have escaped from imminent harm on several occasions. Although he has to bear with haunting thoughts about his luck for some time. He has quite a lot to think about: He could have been caught in the crossfire in Basilan or buried alive in the earthquake in Bohol or died in the super typhoon in Samar.

Another silver lining for Teddy is that losing the love of his life to another man no longer seems as bad. He has since been through worse situations. And, perhaps, all these are meant to prepare him for the worst that's yet to come. (FREEMAN)