judge3ni

Our company has this business continuity plan, as part of it; they offered to house the employees who may be endangered if they will travel to their places after work. Apart from safety reasons, they want to make sure that they will still have people who will be conducting business amidst the typhoon outside.

Hotel rooms were booked for such purpose. Those who enlisted were then assigned to the rooms at the hotels. It was not a surprise that the company sleeping lounge was included as a haven to some of those who were on the list as they announced that it will be used as well.

It just did not occur to me that I will be assigned at the office' sleeping lounge. I don't like it there for some reasons. One, the air-conditioner is set at a temperature that is so cold as if we are machines that needed to be cooled down. Second, there is no blanket. (And I'm right, I asked but they could not provide. I have a hard time sleeping without one.) Third, there is only one shower room. Fourth, my ego is hurt. (Are we not equally important that is why we are here? What if we will just go home and not work tomorrow?)

I tried to retract my decision to stay but I decided not to as I have imagined how inconvenient it is to wait for a jeepney/taxi after my shift. So then, I did not have a choice but stay where I was assigned. My ego wanted to rent a room for myself but I realized it will be a sheer stupidity.

Before I went to sleep, I had a good session of murmuring about any shortcoming of the company especially their decision to have us occupy the lounge because it deprived those who wanted to take a nap on their breaks to rest there. I was being assy. After a while, I got tired of it and finally felt the hard-ups of a tiresome day, I went to the lounge to sleep.

Since I really could not sleep with the physical set-up I have mentioned, I went to the security guard and asked for the temperature to be adjusted. Good thing the guard granted the request. First issue then resolved. After which, the blanket, I used my bed sheet as my blanket. (The bed without it is fine. It is not totally ok but again, I got no choice.) Second issue, resolved!

I slept and woke up at 9am, my stomach looked for food. It was said that we will be provided but I got no communication as to who will give it or where will I get it. No one among us had an idea I believe, the others did not care to get up. (I got mad again as to why they chose to leave us in the office while everyone at the hotel got a decent meal) As for me, I could not bear not to eat and just sleep because I have a gastric problem. I went out and asked the security guards if we got caterers in one of our pantries. Fortunately, there were three pantries with caterers available. I thought there would not be one open because of the typhoon. I ate and got satisfied. Third issue, resolved!

I decided to go down after I got my stomach full so I would have a glimpse of what Yolanda was doing. There it was, in person and not just on TV, I saw how a typhoon smashed some trees, road signs, parked motorcycles, etc. I almost got hit by a galvanized iron fragment from the ceiling of our building lobby that flew.

Around 12pm, I decided to take a shower as everyone else is still sleeping so it will be all for myself. I had enough time taking a bath and even re-arranged my stuff in my bag inside the shower room. It was pretty convenient for me. Fourth issue, resolved!

I started my rest period restless and unhappy because of the circumstances that I got no control of however I ended it and started my shift contented because I managed to work my way through all of those.

All I have been through today allowed me to remember this simple thought in life, any untoward incident caused by outside forces should never affect one's happiness and contentment. Those two could only be achieved by the person's frame of mind towards things. At the end of everything, it is all about ME and my ATTITUDE.

Instead of grumbling, I should be thankful that I had; first, an air-conditioned place to sleep while the others were suffering at the evacuation camps. Second, a bed sheet that I converted as a blanket while the others did not have any. Third, I got money to buy the food that I wanted to eat while the others just settled with what they got. And fourth, I had taken a bath at a shower room with such luxury of time while the others did not have water and electricity.

I wrote this after I have noticed, 1 Thessalonians 5:18, written on the shirt I am wearing now.

"Whatever happens, always be thankful. This is how God wants you to live in Christ Jesus." - 1 Thessalonians 5:18 (ERV)