My September Issue

In fashion, September is January. Vogue magazine released their heaviest and thickest issue in 2007. But in the real world, things incredibly huge and significant happen in September.


In September 2000, 5 incidents mostly in Asia, one in Greece and in Saudi Arabia, occurred claiming lives of hundreds because of flood waters, epidemic (virus), boat sinking and a couple of bomb explosions.
9/11 of course happened on September 11, 2001
Hurricane Katrina happened September 2005
Tropical Storm Milenyo occurred on September 2006
And just this September, an earthquake and a tsunami hit the Samoa Island, an earthquake claimed lives in Indonesia and the Philippines was hit by the strongest typhoon in 40+ years.

What's with September? I used to like September because it is the first of the 'ber' months, which means that Christmas is just around the corner. But as all these unbelievably horrible things are unfolding, I begin to, not only dislike but dread September. And this year, my family had their share of the September nightmare. In fact, just like an aftershock, everything is still carrying on until now that it is October.

My family was one of the unfortunate victims of typhoon Ondoy. I was talking to my brother on Saturday morning when he said he'd talk to me later because it was starting to pour and ankle-deep water was starting to pool in our house. Even if we live in a relatively low area, we never had water going into our house and so talking to my brother about it made me both curious and worried. I had no idea what will happen next. I rang after 45 minutes and when my brother picked up, he was in a bit of a panic ordering my youngest brother to take what he could to the 2nd floor of the house. That was the last I hear and then the phone line got cut.

The following day, I rang them again and our phone line was "not in service" so I tried ringing my brother and my dad's phone number which are both shut off. So i started to worry. I rang my tita's place and there they were. I was so pleased and relieved to hear their voices and to know that they are safe. And so they told me what happened. They had to lift and shift as much furnitures as they could from the ground floor to the 2nd floor of our house. But they weren't able to save our dining table, our fridge and a more than a couple of big, bulky cabinets. So after they shifted as much of the stuff, they had to leave our house and walk in waist-deep floodwater going to my Tita's place which is quite close to our house and which is a safe place for them to be in as well because they weren't affected by the flood at all. Lucky. So yeah, they had to spend days there without enough food, but fortunately with enough water. It wasn't that grave though compared to the other victims but still, they had their share.

Following this sudden tragedy, I learned just a couple of days back that my dad was rushed to the hospital because of nephrolithiasis and he was in excruciating spasms and pain. He may need surgery. I felt terrible. I wish I was there beside him and nurse him instead of nursing people here whom I'm not related to. I sent as much money as I could because that's the only way I can compensate for my absence. It is very frustrating for me.

And just now as I am typing this entry, I am down with the flu, got no voice, having temperature spikes and miles away from my family.

September is just unbelievable. What else could September bring? Honestly, I don't wanna know because I am not ready to accept any thing worse than these things. I am still recuperating and i am sure my family had enough of it as well.

For me, September is a month of pessimism. I think September is cursed. It gives a whole new light and personal meaning to the song "Wake Me Up When September Ends." Still, Thank you God that September is over. Please give us a better tomorrow than today.

And today is October. Which makes me feel better already.