A Night in the University

September 26 is one of the longest days of my life. My degree program celebrated its 25^th anniversary and we organized a conference that was cut short due to bad weather.

Because it was raining very hard, we decided to spend the night in the university. And yes, we were wearing corporate attire.

Still, I have been so blessed because I slept in the university, and I am safe from the storm and was not stranded on the way home. My brother and his girlfriend spent 13 hours traveling from SM North Edsa to our home in Bulacan – a journey that would take only two hours on an ordinary day. And mind you, sleeping in the university was fun.

The professors that stayed with us were very much concerned about the students. They were the ones that ordered food for us and asks us if we are okay. God, thank you very much for giving me such brilliant and caring instructors.

I left the university at 9 am the next morning. Thank God the expressway is not flooded anymore and I got home with ease. My gratitude goes out to my best friend Maricar who was very concerned about my situation, my grade school classmates Floro, Anjane and Yeyen who asked whether I got home safely, my spiritual sisters Ana, who continually asked for updates and Ate Jing who asked how am I doing, Tita Bhe who prayed for me and all others who were stranded, my Mom who called to check on me, to my block mates Karen, Gem, Marj, and Larra who bravely went to Robinson’s just to buy toiletries and food that will get us through the night, and to Jen, Kim, Roanne, and Sha who prayed with me for the safety of everyone.

Indeed, God has amazing ways to show us how blessed we are.

PS. Please help those people in need by giving cash, food, clothes and other goods to the Red Cross. For UP Manila students, you can bring your donations to the ground floor of the student center at the old NEDA building, or outside the USC office at the fourth floor. Prayers can help a lot too.