Healing from the Worst Typhoon I've Experienced

Our home flooded often when I was growing up because there's a creek at the back of our house. I almost drowned during #OndoyPH. The water came up to fast and I was only able to save my desktop computer. Everything else went under water, my laptop, passport, books, shoes, photo albums... everything. It was traumatizing and I couldn't help but cry when I see videos of what's happening back home now. The typhoons that passed the last few weeks have been ruthless. 

I remember after I cleaned up I was feeling the shock of what just happened. I was sitting in the kitchen with my Dad and I started to cry. He nipped it at the bud and he immediately re-framed me from wallowing in self-pity. He said those are just things and you can earn it back. 

Look into the future. That's what my Ate taught me when I had Miggy at a young age. She had me talk to someone who went through the same situation. It was like talking to the future me. And I did the same right after #OndoyPH and #PepengPH. A few days after the great flood I had to fly to Iloilo for an engagement. I didn't want to go anymore, but our parents pushed us to go. 

Going to Iloilo helped me a lot because I met many people who shared similar experiences. A year before #FrankPH badly damaged Iloilo. One of my friends said that her home was flooded from floor to ceiling. They told me about how they slowly got up from the setback. 

Our parents pushed me and Sweetie to go to Iloilo even though our homes were not fixed yet. Our wedding was scheduled 13 weeks after the typhoons. They wanted us to focus on starting anew. Aside from the inspiration from friends, we had many people who also supported us. We started our new life and built up our little family from almost nothing. 

Look up and look into the future. The sun is always waiting to rise in the horizon everyday. I thought I'd write about this today in case you have family and friends who need comfort and consolation. 

My thoughts and prayers for everyone going through hardship and trauma. May God bless you. 

If you can help, more information on how you can donate can be found here.

#CB//220 #StuckAtHomeDay/250 #StayHome #BeKind

Overcoming Trauma After a Disaster

I finally started to open the boxes that housed some of the items I managed to salvage from Typhoon Ondoy. There was a major change in my life after Typhoon Ondoy -- I got married. Both Sweetie and me were affected by the typhoon and we scrambled to finish preparations a month before our wedding. The only thing I was able to keep dry was my desktop computer, everything else went under water.  

Whatever we were able to dry under the sun I kept in a few plastic boxes. It moved with us whenever we moved and it has been there gathering dust.Yes, ten long years. I opened one box today because I was thinking about what I can say about moving forward from a disaster. I know the eruption of the Taal Volcano will leave many people traumatized, just as I was after Typhoon Ondoy.

My brother, Jojo Apolo, is a NLP programming expert and master trainer. He shared through this video how to overcome trauma. He has done this exercise with me to help me move on from trauma. If you have family/friends or would like to help others get over trauma please watch this video so you can help them.


When I opened the box earlier today I realized that I kept those items because I wanted to preserve happy memories. I was ecstatic to find one of Sweetie's cards for me from 2008. I thought I lost all his love letters during the flood. I originally thought that I would be sad opening the box, I was more miffed that I didn't open it earlier because of the dust. Looking back though I guess I kept those mementos I saved because they're part of my happy memories and just as my Kuya taught in the video, one must always anchor on happiness to move forward. That and have a Dad who would give you marching orders to rebuild immediately after a disaster. I'll save that story for tomorrow.

I hope and pray everyone will be okay and that the Taal Volcano will lose steam and just go back to sleep. Donations are still needed, please refer to this list to see where you can help.