The sun always shines in the Philippines

I am trying to be melancholic with my earphones on and a cup of hot milk in my right hand while watching the unceasing drops of water outside our window. It's raining cats and dogs here. I don't really feel sad nor depressed but do you also feel the same when the weather is bad and when it's raining you just feel like listening to music through your earphones and being devoured by your own thoughts and world?

It's funny but I wanted to be 'emo' in times like this. I actually like rain, well I guess every Filipino likes rain. When I was a kid, I used to play in the rain so much. Together with my brother and cousins, and sometimes my mother would join us. I guess every Filipino kids can relate to that. There's just something in the rain that makes us so happy. We could dance, run, and play in the rain then after that we would wear pajamas and cover ourselves in blankets while drinking hot milk.

Every drop of the rain brings me so much to remember that sometimes I wanted to be emotional when it's raining without really a definite reason. Now that I was looking for every drop, I wonder if is it also the same in some places in the Philippines, or was it sunny there?

Even so, no matter how much the rain poured here and in other places in the Philippines, there is no difference like when the sun shines brightly. Believe it or not, even when there's a strong typhoon or  floods, earthquake, volcanic eruption, epidemic, or any calamities that would hit the country, it still feels like the sun is shining so bright.

Why?

Because of the strong-willed spirits of every Filipino. That no matter how disastrous calamity would hit us and try to pull us down, we still have the courage to show our smile. We still have the courage to stand and continue moving on.

Typhoon Sendong and Super Typhoon Yolanda both leave an unforgettable memory in the Philippine history, as well as in every victim's family. And our family is one of the people who couldn't forget those fateful moments.

One of Super Typhoon Yolanda's victims is my aunt's family. Aunt Gilda is my mother's close cousin and due to the typhoon we lost her, including her husband, and 2 sons. Luckily, her only daughter was rescued when she was caught up in a coconut tree but sadly she also died due to the serious injury that she encountered.

Aside from that, Typhoon Sendong also leaves a scar in our family's hearts when my Uncle's family was also victimized. Uncle Eddie together with his wife and 2months born child didn't make it, and the sole survivor was his eldest son RJ--my cousin who is just 9 years old. Luckily, RJ was still in school when that happened but I couldn't fathom the pain he was feeling when he got home and found out that their house was destroyed by the strong flood and his mother was found dead somewhere while his father and younger brother were still missing.

Uncle Eddie is my father's younger brother, and I know it is just as hard for my father as it is hard for RJ. We did everything to help in searching for my uncle and the baby. After almost 24hours when the baby was found in bridge, so far from their house. He still has a little pulse but on a critical condition. Doctors were trying to revive him but he didn't make it. The search was still on process for my uncle and also for the other people who was reported missing because of the flood. 72hours after when my uncle was found near the ocean. Dead and almost couldn't be recognized. His arms were still folded like he was carrying a baby, and it was such a painful sight for my father.

Many Filipino families experienced more than what we experienced. Feel pain more than what we feel. And lost everything more than what we’ve lost but I am more than a hundred percent sure that they also try and struggle to survive more than what we did.

Death is anticipated, but the unexpected death of your loved ones gives incredible and unforgettable pain. The pain of death isn't for those who died, rather for the ones who are left alive. Because the one who is left is the one who struggles for the memories and loneliness while struggling to keep moving forward.

Filipino are indeed a fighter. Because no matter how hard the situation they may face, no matter how saddening the events they encounter, and no matter how many deaths from their loved ones that they witnessed, they still had the courage to raise their heads and smile. They would smile because they are the one who are left to survive, they would smile and survive for the sake of their loved one's peace. Times would haunt them by those painful and sorrowful memories but they would still face the day with a smile on their faces.

So I won't be surprised that even after being hit by a strong rain, typhoon or floods and losing their houses, Filipinos are still able to offer their warmest smiles. And no matter how breezy and gloomy the weather could get, in the Philippines it will always be warm and sunny.