Right Now

There were hardly any cars on the roads today- people saving on gas or maybe because they don't have anymore gas at all. We asked our messenger to buy lunch and he had a hard time looking for a place to buy our food. 3 restaurants were closed including KFC. Ironically, he was able to get us chicken and burgers at McDonalds.

Older folk have been talking about this same situation being almost similar to almost 19 years ago during the 1990 killer quake- of course things were much worse then. So I've been trying to remember 19 years ago when we ourselves were evacuees. I don't remember much except for a few very vivid memories. I do remember my Mom being very worried. And I do remember my Dad wanting us to leave the evacuation center where we had been staying for 2 weeks. I remember him something like, "You want to keep staying there? The old woman has tuberculosis for all we know." And I don't think I could quite understand the tension brewing between him and my Mom and my aunts and my grandparents. But now I know it must have been terrifying for them.

There's hardly any meat in the market. No fish since fish is brought up from the lowlands. Vegetables are priced 4-5 times the regular price. Our city has even run out of caskets.

There's a whole lot going through my head right now. I'm extremely thankful that my family is safe but my heart goes out to all those who are shattered right now- those who have lost their homes, those who lost their loved ones in the landslides. Our office put together boxes of relief goods, mostly clothing. It's heartbreaking.