another rainy day

the wind howls as i write.

i woke up at 5:30 this morning to the sound of shrieking babies, or so i thought. it was the wind, blowing through rooftops and coconut trees, having a field day with the torrential rain. i tried to go back to sleep but the noises have invaded the space under my covers. alone in the dark with no one to find comfort with, i began to feel scared. the memory of that terrifying typhoon that ravaged the island from 2 years ago was far too fresh on my mind. in an effort to do something about it i began packing things into my waterproof satchel: money, a yellow sarong, a change of clothes, house keys, a jacket and an ipod. i started to wonder about food, realizing i have nothing but fresh items in my fridge. i can't even remember the last time i ate something out of a can. i look around and i see all the other things i thought i should bring: books, my laptop, my journals, dresses i haven't worn, a towel and so many other random stuff. in my effort to live simply, i had still managed to become such a consumer. knowing what i've always known, there really is nothing much you can bring with you when push comes to shove. in the end i threw in my phone charger and flashlight, knowing that these too wouldn't last me for long.

i decide to make myself breakfast. it's 7:30 am after all. i had been awake for two hours. while munching on buttered raisin toast and looking at the rain through my glass windows, i find myself listening to the local radio station; to its barrage of provincial ads, catchy radio jingles as only a small town station can and a string of announcements in an attempted american english twang. then comes the disc jockey, armed with his usual self-assured humor, bursting through the rain like a dose of unconventional sunshine. the jokes are bad and a tad mean, but i find myself laughing my stormy heart out. it is relief that washes over me. relief that in spite of gloomy skies and howling winds, someone is going about his day as usual and not packing an impromptu emergency bag. relief that pushes away thoughts converting back to canned food and raiding the shelves of the nearest supermarket. because it is such a relief to be reminded that even in the midst of a raging storm, life goes on.


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