Life During Quarantine

14 April 2020- Exactly 30 days since the Philippine government has imposed the Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) due to the CoViD-19 pandemic. The government aims to flatten the curve or simply eliminate the chances of the virus from transmitting to other people. Today finally starts the mass testing in our country. Mass testing means doing swab test to those who (1)exhibit influenza-like symptoms and have travelled to the place where there are confirmed cases or have had exposure to a CoViD-19 positive, (2)health workers who have been in contact with a person who tested positive, and (3) those high risk people-people who have underlying conditions, pregnant women, and senior citizens. It is vital in containing the virus as it is the tool used to identify the infected so they can be isolated and be treated.

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        To date, there have been  1,930,780 confirmed cases worldwide to which 5,223 are from the Philippines. Number of  deaths has reached 120,863 worldwide and the Philippines with 335. And of course there have been recorded recoveries to wit: 464,398 worldwide and 295 from the Philippines. And we are all claiming (in Jesus'name) for higher stats of recoveries and no additional confirmed cases in the coming days.
         But nope, the purpose of this blog is not to reiterate the information you surely see everywhere. This is actually my way of tracking how my quarantine days are like/have been. I am one of those who have been blessed to not lose my job and have the benefit of working from home. It is indeed a blessing to be with the family in this time of crisis. However, work-from-home is not as easy as I thought it would be. Lots of coordination has to be made and being away from your co-workers means doubling the hard of communicating. Grateful our office isn't as demanding as other offices  days after the ECQ had been imposed and I can really feel that they still prioritize the health of their manpower. We can work at our own pace unless a report or data is urgently needed.
        A month after and my concerns have changed from fear of contracting the virus or any of the people dear to me to the anxiety of not knowing when this will end and if we will be able to be back to "normal"soon. I miss seeing my friends. I miss going out since I haven't been outside our home since the quarantine has been declared. I miss our normal lives. Guess, I have to look at the brighter side for now that I am still blessed to be missing those things just for a span of time and not taken the chance to experience those again.
       Hope we can all pray for the the people who are holding the fort for us:doctors, nurses, other medical practitioners/experts, farmers, fisher folks, utility workers, soldiers, policemen, food delivery/supply drivers, security guards and  leaders. Let's pray for their protection and good health. Let us also pray for the healing of those infected. Pray for our leaders, for their plans, actions, and sound decisions. Pray for the poor, that they may find help. Pray for one another, to get through the anxiety this is causing us. Let's pray for a CoViD-19 free world and remain hopeful.

It's Okay Not To Be Okay

Things are not going well?  I am here to say...

Your friend/someone dear to you stopped talking to you for whatever reason it is. IT'S OKAY.

Overused as it may be, but it's true, not everyone is supposed to stay in your life. Some are meant to be just part of our memories. We sometimes meet people because there is something that we need to learn from them. It feels bad for sure but as we age we will be needing "quality friends" not "seasonal friends". We would want someone who would brace us as we face different seasons of our lives. We would want ourselves to be surrounded by people that are good for us.

You have not figured out yet what you wanted to do with your career/life. IT'S OKAY.

You are not the only person who have not figured out yet what to do with his career/life. Don't rush. Rushing might lead you to a wrong direction.

You want to try a lot of things? Go!There's no harm in trying. In time, I know you will find what's best for you. 

You haven't found the one for you. IT'S OKAY.

Love sees no age. Chances are God is still preparing you and so the one that's right for you. 

Get busy with your life. Hustle while you wait. The longer you wait, the more you'll value it when it is given to you.

You failed for so many times. IT'S OKAY.

I find it brave because that means you're still trying. I have heard a lot of success stories that started from failing. When you fail, you're getting a chance to do better the next try. Oftentimes, failing is a mark of a greater opportunity. So keep trying. You'll definitely make it.

And the list goes on...

In life, we don't have a hold on what is in-store for us. More so, the guarantee of always living a good life BUT we can always choose a good fight. Let me tell you this,  life is not always rainbows. Unfortunate things happen for us to value good times. For us to acknowledge that we can't do things alone.  That we need God. Call unto Him and these shall come to pass.

Head's up,lil warrior!  Keep fighting! 

Sensitivity Matters

I have a fear on spiders. This isn't innate in me. It just happened when I was a kid, one afternoon I [imaginably] heard a spider’s cry and thought the reason was I accidentally sat on it, but I immediately noticed that it was the drowning rat who seeks for help in the pail. Since that day, I dreamt of the giant spiders hunting me. And also since then I have had the so called arachnophobia. (As a psych graduate I have knowledge on how to treat phobias but I don't want to apply it in myself 'cause I know in my heart that I can't handle the fear. This fear might cause [ME] cardiac arrest or mental illness.)

I hate it when people use this weakness as the contrivance to their bully-ness. I loathe how they can still laugh even if they see me crying and chilling because of severe apprehension. In every conversation were a plan of throwing a spider on me where being brought up, whether it’s a joke or not,  my temper changes, uneasiness visits me and paranoia haunts me. And I am not exaggerating.

Simple things you thought is funny can bring discomfort to someone. Respect others despite their strange weaknesses and offer them deep understanding. You’ll never know how much it can affect her behavior/psychologically.

Never forget the golden rule: "Do not do to others what you don’t want others do unto you.”

It was never wrong to think first before you act especially if the outcome is perceptibly terrible.

Eye Opener

As I was reading Raymund Narag’s article (http://raymundnarag.wordpress.com/2009/12/11/my-honor/), different thoughts haunt me and questions started to form in my head- What kind of authorities we have for making an innocent man suffer and fracture its reputation by accusing him to the crime that he didn’t do anyway? How come those who were appointed to protect the people suddenly took someone’s good future? I’m not really sure how misleading rule over that particular case and if it’s right to think that authorities practice injustices over justness.  What I have read today is a clear evidence that power separates people from acquiring integrity.  And that this kind of incident tolerates and pushes people to continuously perform crimes since persecution and acquittal are in the hands of the dominant and influential ones. [This is exactly why I’m into equity and despises those who are unfair].

Conversely, I awe Mr. Narag for maintaining his optimistic thoughts and holding into his faith in God.  And for doing what’s right even what he has gone through is a product of wickedness and narcissism , also for keeping his dreams and adding it with a vision to help and give others inspiration.  For letting people see and realize that nothing’s too late if what you only want is for everyone’s wellness.

I pray that this won’t happen again because no one deserves this more than those who are guilty, that authorities won’t commit the same mistake again and provide people just treatment. And lastly, I pray to God that more Raymund Narag would come out for a better human race.