Impossible not to be moved to tears

By Alex P. Vidal

“Grief is like the ocean; it comes in waves, ebbing and flowing. Sometimes the water is calm, and sometimes it is overwhelming. All we can do is learn to swim.” – Vicki Harrison

WATCHING the videos of mud floods that killed more than a hundred people and destroyed properties mostly houses made of light materials in Cebu and Negros when super storm Tino lashed recently instantly brought not only tears to everyone’s eyes, but terror in the hearts and minds of any Tom, Dick, and Harry even if they weren’t affected.

The shocking scenes were too painful for the human heart and mind.

Children and elderly, including their animals, being forcibly ushered to the rooftops of badly wrecked houses by panicking adult family members as strong gush of mud cascaded and threatened to sweep away the entire family as they desperately screamed for help.

Sadly, some of them didn’t make it; dead and bloated bodies were later recovered in far flung places where they had been swept away; some remained missing as of this writing. It was scary and nerve-tingling.

The horrifying scenes that unfolded before the eyes of the world in this age of technology will forever be etched in the memories. To express total sympathy and pain for the victims, tears weren’t enough.

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It’s impossible not to be moved to tears; it’s impossible not to feel a deep sense of loss even if we lived in faraway places and we didn’t know many of those who perished in the flash floods.

The immediate reaction would be to curse those in charged with the flood control system, the public officials responsible for neglecting their primordial duties and responsibilities to the public, and for pocketing the billions of pesos in taxpayers’ money intended to protect the people from nature’s wrath.

The people’s anger and animosity even grew higher toward corrupt DPWH contractors and prominent politicians implicated in the multi-billion flood control project anomalies.

What immediately came to the minds of people was accountability and justice for the flood victims and the entire nation for that matter. If it happened in Cebu, Negros, it could happen in other parts of Mindanao and Luzon in the future. God forbid.

In fact, it already happened in the past although not so terrifying and destructive as the floods that inundated Cebu and other Negros areas most recently.

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Explaining the emotional impact of disasters, Dr. Anka A. Vujanovic, Ph.D. and Dr. Matthew W. Gallagher, Ph.D. of the Department of Psychology, University of Houston once explained that natural disasters can be overwhelming and potentially traumatic life experiences.

“People directly impacted by natural disasters, such as Hurricane Harvey, may endure serious injuries or near death experiences; they may witness devastation among their friends, family, neighbors, and greater communities; and they may experience the irreparable loss of possessions and property,” they emphasized.

“For those directly impacted, the immediate aftermath of a disaster can be disorienting, marked with displacement, shock, and a strong need to restore order. The weeks and months following a disaster may be consumed with various tasks related to restoration to a ‘new normal,’ sometimes in new homes and with new possessions. Thus, for some people, the full impact of a disaster and its impact on their mental health may not be obvious for weeks or months after the disaster occurs.”

Depending on the type and extent of loss, the doctors explained that  individuals directly impacted by natural disasters may be feeling a strong sense of grief, panic, loss, fear, and sadness.

In addition, they stressed that difficulties sleeping, anger, irritability, and guilt may also surface. Some who were not severely impacted may feel “survivor’s guilt”, overwhelmed by “why them, and not me?” thoughts. However, the majority of individuals who survive natural disasters will ultimately recover without major mental health disturbances, even if they endured spikes in symptoms during or immediately following the disaster.

 

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Cosmopolitan has uncovered some surprisingly sensitive parts of the body; touching them will get us both insanely turned on. And no, none rhyme with shmenis or shmagina: Sweet Spot 1. The Ultrasensitive Border Around the Lips 2. That Sexy Dip Where Neck Meets Chest 3. The Erotic Pathways on the Sides of the Torso 4. The Pleasure Mound on the Lower Back 5. The Teasing Trail on the Thighs.

PHILEMAPHOBIA is a fear of kissing: Is a philemaphobic deprived of love since birth? Why fear a gesture of love?

(The author, who is now based in New York City, used to be the editor of two leading daily newspapers in Iloilo, Philippines.—Ed)