still in Holiday Spirits...

Gotta hand it to my MOM, even amidst all the tragedy she has gone through over the recent barrages of TYPHOON that hit the northern part of the Philippines - she is still very much into the HOLIDAY spirits...

Typhoon Ondoy touched my Mom so much more that I had expected and known... her home was actually submerged, chest deep with water..all her belongings floating in the flood, with some being washed away... and the thing that broke my heart most, I learned that she was even in a SHELTER for a few days - as my half brother felt she is safer there while they wait for the water to subside.... My MOM worries so much about me worrying, she asked that I do not get informed... my first reaction was UPSET at first, but then I understood how my MOM was feeling/thinking - and I love her even more for it... she basically felt that I am going through enough right now, that she did not want me to just drop everything and fly to see her at once... she insisted on waiting for me to arrive on the date I said I would - my monthly scheduled visit...

I do not think anyone can even IMAGINE how I felt upon learning all this? what she has gone through? and what she has seen? Nor can I IMAGINE what she was feeling while going through it all... all I could do was break into tears upon hearing her tell the story... and even on my own, when I think of it all and try to IMAGINE - what comes into my mind haunts and breaks my heart...
anyway, am SUPER GLAD she is moved to a better place.... and to see her still in GREAT SPIRITS and FEEL SO BLESSED having SURVIVED it all - just gives me so much joy... she is in such Great spirits that the first thing she even did once moved is put up an XMAS TREE already... to signify that there is still so much LIFE & HOPE to be THANKFUL for....