Life after the Fire

our house after the fire

    I may have lost everything but one thing I am most sure is I have something and that is Strength. I never thought I have such ability. It is true that you can feel your strength in the experience of pain. When that tragedy happened I felt so alone my husband was million miles away from me, I cannot call him nor message him, I saw people  around me panic, crying and shouting. I remained calm, in fact in my mind I started to plan what will be my next move, where will we stay for the night, where will we get food, where would I get our clothes. I choose to stay calm for the sake of my two children, I do not want them to see me worrying, I want them to feel normal no matter how hard the situation.

 That day, I tried to perform my responsibility as much as possible. I reported to the office of the City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWD) and they promised me cash assistance that until now I haven't receive. I also reported to the Barangay Office and they give me food assistance consisting of five (5) kilos rice, noodles, and few canned goods and with matching picture with some politicians (politics!!). They also promised cash assistance but so far no good.

I was just thankful with my office mates that they help me financially. I was able to buy new clothes to wear, some pillows and slippers for my children. My problem now is where we will stay for the night, some of my relatives say that it is bad luck for the owner of the house to accommodate fire victim even for one night. Good thing my neighbor who was not affected by the fire offer their house for us. They have room for rent, they offer it to us free, and it is air- conditioned! That was I needed after a long, tiring and very hot day!

  

There were people whom I do not know who send their help and donated their clothes to me and to my kids and I was very thankful to this people.

The day after the incident, I act normally as if nothing happens. I go to the office and do what I usually do in a normal situation. I even reported to the Bureau of fire.

Sometimes I think I was in my denial stage but as the days goes by I always ask myself if do I really regrets the things that I've  lost. Honestly, I have no regrets because I know and I am deeply convinced that those things will be recovered soon. Though some of them are irreplaceable but for as long as I have my family I know we can always make new and much happier memories.