Little boost of morale can go a long way

                                                     

In mid-December last year, parts of our country, including my native, experienced the wrath of Typhoon Odette, a typhoon that hit the Philippines. 

The damages this typhoon caused, for sure, had an impact on our lives, our infrastructure, and the environment in general. People were left homeless and hungry, with no means of communication, electricity and food. 

I took a bus towards the nearby city to gather supplies for us back home, and the trip was not easy. Trees and powerlines were blocking the way. The flood had swept away murky roads. But by far, the most heart-wrenching sight was of people who were begging for water and food by the roadside for survival. 

Along the way, we saw a pickup truck parked on the side of the road that had gallons of water and boxes of food in its cargo, and the owners were distributing them to the people who needed them. Their smiles, happy faces, resilience after the disaster warmed my heart and inspired me to extend my help, even if it was just a little effort. 

When I returned, I messaged one of my friends whose house was totally destroyed. I offered him to bring some relief materials to help him save some costs. Over there, the extent of damages was beyond one could imagine. I talked to my friend for a while, listening and just being there as a friend in need. 

After almost an hour, I left the box of relief products, including rice, canned goods, some sugar and some fermented vinegar, for his use so that he may at least get to save on food for a while. 

When I went home, I had a message from my friend, with a “thank you”, especially for the sugar and vinegar since that made their meals a lot more enjoyable. And that made me feel really joyful and a little teary-eyed.

That little boost of morale really went a long way for them, and that’s what I wanted, to help and give kindness to those in need. We were suffering together at that time; therefore, there was a need also to help each other, rise back up on our feet, and see everyone being thoughtful and kind in times of calamity. The small efforts made me feel that there was still hope for us.

                              John Lorenz Serillo