Christmas in our Hearts

‘Let’s sing Merry Christmas, and a Happy Holiday. And may the spirit of Christmas be always in our hearts.’

Merry Christmas! I hope that you are all doing well and are having a memorable December 24. It was a holiday for us at work. Some of you had work today. But for so many others, today is a time of grief, hunger, and unimaginable suffering.

Super Typhoon Rye, locally known as Odette, wreaked havoc in Northeastern Mindanao and the Visayas, among others, just a week before Christmas. Heartbreaking images of destruction, lifeless bodies scattered, and people pleading for help are all around.

Odette is unwelcome, but natural calamities like it are frequenters in the Philippines. They  come as savage winds and thunderstorms, as earthquakes and towering waves, or as acidic ash and lava, ravaging both people and property and bringing death and ruin.

I have never experienced a natural calamity yet. I certainly don’t want to. And for it to be experienced by others during Christmas, I must ask: what is the spirit of Christmas during an overwhelming storm? And would it be defeated if I choose to celebrate Christmas fully aware of other people’s suffering?

It’s a hard question to chew. Maybe the answer lies in the resiliency of the victims themselves—one of their wishes is to have a decent Christmas Eve. They are always faced with the threat of death every December, and yet many of them still want to celebrate Christmas.

Many of my relatives in the Visayas are suffering. Their homes were either destroyed or partially damaged. But they still celebrate Christmas. They would have hoped for better circumstances, but they are willing to work with what they have.

Odette’s victims were the victims of many other storms. They are more aware that while we breathe and walk the earth,  rich and poor alike, will suffer loss, deterioration and death. So, if by fanatic affiliation or by genuine faith, Christmas gives them hope, I celebrate with them.

Yes, I am not privy to others’ appreciation of Christmas now that many people are suffering. But I must say that empathy, or sympathy at the very least, is in order—prayers included. Our own people need help in the form of anything we can generously give. No one is required to give any specific amount or drop any specific goods. Let’s continue to give.

Again, Merry Christmas!