A Visit to My Father-in-Law's Home: A Day After the 6.9 Quake Hit Cebu

Hello, Hivers all around the world!

How's your day? I pray that everyone is safe and sound and happy with their families, friends, and loved ones. I just wanted to share our brief visit to my father-in-law's simple house just a day after the earthquake hit in our area. Although we are in South Cebu which experienced intensity V, the ground is still trembling and can cause trauma to a person. And we just want to ensure he's fine and doing okay; he's been with her daughter, but we want to be reassured that all is well. I recall the last time I visited; if I'm not mistaken, it was in 2023. Because I couldn't go last year due to a medical issue. My father-in-law resides in Barangay Tabon, Dalaguete, Cebu, which is near our barangay as well.

We drive through beautiful countryside, which I take photographs of. The wildflowers that grow along the way. My eyes were drawn at once to the wildflowers. The scenery from above as we ascended the mountain. My father-in-law is 73 years old and resides in a simple house with his youngest daughter's family. Although already old, he can still visit the farm and be energetic. When we arrived, his granddaughter was playing with her kitchen utensils. I remember when we were in our age, we played with plant leaves, imagining them as fish or vegetables, coconut shells as pots, and a small stick as a ladle. LOL. It's amusing, but we truly loved our childhood memories. We even pretended to play with and sell excess plastic used in such junk foods as if we were in a shop, and some of the plastics from candies, which we usually topped with a small rock to resemble real candy. We also played "bahay-bahayan" prior to using the banana leaves, as tradition dictates. I wish I could travel back in time when we were young and did not yet know anything about the challenges and hardships of life. All I had were great memories of my sisters and neighbors, and now we are far from each other to learn what life is all about. I am thankful that we grew up from a not-so-poor family that is disciplined and has enough to suffice our needs. Even though my father, as well as my father-in-law, is a farmer, I am content to be their daughter and daughter-in-law. To live a peaceful and quiet life away from too much civilization. They have no internet in that place. They will just put cellular phones by the window to receive a signal or data. That is their everyday life and a part of life necessary for them. Woke up early in the morning hearing the crowing of a rooster and the chirping of birds. All I can say is that it's a great place to relax away from pollution. Endless fresh air that soothes out our skin.

We checked the environment and even their simple home, thank God they are safe, good and doing great. I even managed to capture a photo of guavas, but they are not yet ripe. They also keep Bermuda grass in front of their house, which is great for relaxation and squatting. Before we leave home late in the afternoon, we have some quality time with my husband's niece. She is 3 years old, and I cannot help pinching her chubby cheeks. We are grateful they are all right, although we have felt the quake.

Despite what we've been through, the sun still shines after the quake. In times of storms, calamities and quakes, we can stand still and live with hope. But it is sad to see my fellow Cebuanos, particularly in North Cebu, who were seriously hit by the killer quake. Many of them perished. May they recover and stand after this traumatic tragedy. All we could do was pray, and I am requesting your prayers too.

That's all for my day, and thank you for reading my story.

Photos were mine and the first picture was edited on Canva.