February 6, 2012 GMT +8 (Philippines). About 1130 to 12nn. A 6.8 magnitude quake hits the city. Initially I thought the mere shaking of my desk top was but the usual habit of my office-mate's (uncanny) shaking of the knees (the type that hits the desk). Did not react at first because ALG does the same exact thing every time but when the rest of the guys in the office started running for the door, it hit me... Mom!
You see, being (literally) at the center of the archipelago, Cebu City is not really used to quakes. In a year, the most that would hit us is probably about 2 (one of which is not even worth the magnitude charts). I'll probably leave the scientific statistics to the experts but to us, the general mass, the initial priority will always be safety.
The flight or fight response, an innate capability common to all sentient beings. To run for safety during an hour of distress is basically human but to look after the safety of others is beyond the normalcy of being human. Super Human even. The super human capability of looking after other people's safety was magnified today. When strangers actively instructed others what to do when an aftershock hits, and yes, especially through the very act of calling the people we loved to ask if they too are safe.
As I said, we are not really used to phenomena like these, typhoons yes but tectonic movement of a greater magnitude (quakes and tsunamis), no. For a brief second there, I even thought the whole rockus was a premature warning of the virally feared 2012 Armageddon. I was afraid (hell yes!). Prayed my Christian heart out for the people I loved and myself. But the very moment I called my mom and she told she was alright, my relief level exceeded the anxiety. And just like that, when all my prayers were answered with such haste, I was not afraid anymore.
This is not the end of the world, I know it. A test of Faith, maybe. But if our Maker decides such then I pray for strength. I am not ready for anything catastrophic (heck, just this morning, I was not even ready to face a new research partner on a meeting) but as long as I'm with my mom, I will do anything for us to survive. Anything.
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