Still in one piece

The little street I see out my porch glints in the sun. Bone-dry. I can’t believe I and a few friends remain flood-free when the rest of Bangkok are in serious trouble. I will not try to understand why or how my area is still spared because I can’t. This is God’s business now. Mine is to thank Him for allowing me to live life normally this far.

i. Passport validity sorted in time for visa expiry. What normally takes 4-6 weeks to process only took one. I would be required to exit to another country if this wasn’t accomplished before November 3rd. Thank God I don’t have to wade into an aircraft in a flooded airport.

ii. Bank transactions completed. SC Bank as most other businesses are quiet. Everyone’s gone escaping waters bursting in from the leaking dikes.  But I need jammed numbers for online shopping and payments sorted this week so I tried and it was done.

iii. I’m still properly nourished. There hasn’t been any reason yet to scrimp on food despite submerged food factories and vanishing edible goods from the supermarkets. In fact I never saw my fridge this well-stocked before.

iv. An opportunity to offer help and knowing friends care. I offered space in my apartment for friends who might need it. A friend on the other side of the world keep asking how I am, should he ship food or whatever else over…. It’s a good feeling.

v. The Three Musketeers helped me forget fear and worry while watching it.  There were only six of us in the theater. We got in and out of the building climbing up and down sandbags. I came back home in one piece. Happy and grateful.

Thanks to Susanne @ Living to Tell the Story for hosting Friday’s Fave Five.

So far so good

Ayutthya, the Thai ancient capital has been inundated since last week.  According to news updates, Bangkok is next.  Photos and video footages, while informative are scary. I’m listing this week’s highlights as I go. Think, think… sounds like this will all be about gratitude. One major blessing is never running out of things to be thankful for.

i. Still walking on dry, solid ground.  Bangkokians have been told to brace for the flood particularly on October 16-18. We haven’t been flooded yet. This is when you are really glad predictions or calculations are wrong.

ii. Cartoons. Most information released to the public seem either exaggerated or inaccurate while blame and criticism trend by the hour. I get an overview of what’s going on from editorial cartoons.  They’re rather easy to analyze.

iii. Books, tea and coffee.  Panic-buying all around.  I don’t have to join the throng that emptied grocery shelves at virtual lightning speed. There’s enough to keep me occupied until things get back to normal. I’m so thankful for internet connection too.

iv. CJ is safe. Inasmuch as I miss my kiddo, I’m really thankful he is not with me right now but living life normally with Grandma in PI. This calamity is easier to handle knowing I only have to deal with my own safety and not worry about his.

v. Literary comfort.  There’s Noah and the first rainbow, Coleridge’s ‘water, water everywhere…,’ (I love how poetry calms the nerves) and Tennyson’s

“Be still sad heart and cease repining; behind the clouds the sun is still shining, thy fate is the common fate of all. Into each life some rain must fall. Some days must be dark and dreary.”

The same lines I mentally chanted while on a flight home for my father’s funeral in 2005. “This (flood or any other trouble) too shall pass.” Thanks to whoever said that.

Susanne hosts Friday’s Fave Five at Living to Tell the Story.