Twenty Years Ago...

It was 20 years ago today that the earth shook from under me.

It was a sunny afternoon. The sky was almost clear except for a few clouds. Classes were over early. I believe we were one of the few schools that didn't follow day light savings time.

I suddenly stood up from the porch when the earth started to shake. Weak at first but it intensified. It was so strong that I heard the shelves crashing down from the school library. The ground was shaking so vigorously that I had difficulty standing up. I heard distant screams. I saw Hyatt Terraces Baguio crash down. In a way, it was awesome.

When the tremors stopped, we headed home. There was devastation along the way. The smell of debris, smoke, and death was in the air.

Many died that day. Some survived. It was probably because of fate or luck. Either way, I was one of those who did. And I have been surviving since then.