Call for help

Greed. Anger. Destruction. Fear. Death. The constant cycle. Will you accept that one day, when you wake up, all you can feel is fear and danger and you have nowhere to run? Are you ready to run as fast as you can and hide, but knowing that nowhere is safe? Are you prepared to live a life of darkness?

We all had dream worlds when we were little kids. I actually dreamt of teleporting to a world filled with trees and clean rivers, where I would play and swim with other children while our mothers watched over us and talked among themselves about the latest news in our neighborhoods. We would inhale the sweet air and gaze up at the blue sky, seeing images in the clouds.

It was a world that was home to peaceful humanity, with varied and flourishing species of plants and animals… But it was just a dream that existed in my playful mind.

We have just seen how strong Mother Nature can be. The latest calamity, the supertyphoon that swept through Central Philippines early this month, brought devastating news to every Filipino. It broke my heart to know that countless people were suffering because of these natural disasters. I asked myself: Why is everything happening so quickly? Why is God letting this happen? Is this some sort of punishment?

But I also answered my own questions. Everything started from greed. We do like to get everything that we want. Whether legally or illegally, it doesn’t matter as long as we are able to satisfy our comforts. We do not really care what will happen next. Apart from greed, there is also negligence. Take deforestation. When loggers cut trees, do they plant new ones? Maybe sometimes, but many times, do they care at all? Do we have guidelines on how to care for and add more to the beauty of Mother Nature, and are these being followed? In my opinion, some people bother only with making money. But what happens to our ecosystem in the process? What about the fluorocarbons and carbon dioxide emissions that lead to global warming? What about the garbage that we produce and throw everywhere? And when things get worse, who will we blame? The government?

I once read in a book: “People can only see what is in front of them.” Don’t we think we are becoming truly insensitive? Why do we ignore the cry of Mother Nature? It’s a cry for help, for us to give back to the environment and be mindful of the future of the next generations.

At the end of the day, what do we really expect to happen? What do we want to see? And most of all, what do we want to achieve? Is it a place where there is nowhere to go, or a place where we can happily be with our loved ones and friends? Is it a place of rubble and rubbish, or a place with healthy and happy people? Is it a place of fear, or a place where peace abounds?

Let’s think about it. There are many ways to help preserve Mother Nature. We can join organizations devoted to the proper care of the environment, we can keep our own neighborhoods clean, and we can be a good example to others. In my own school, there are activities where we try to help solve some of the social issues that we are facing. We may not come up with the best solution to offer our country, but at least we are made aware of  the prevailing issues; maybe in the near future, we can provide clear and effective remedies.

Young as we are, we know we can do a lot of things to help solve our country’s problems. Can we do it?  Yes, we can! St. Mary Euphrasia, our school’s founder, once said: “Encourage one another in zeal.” Together, we  can think of a thousand ways to heal the deep wounds of Mother Nature.

Not all of us have experienced earthquakes, typhoons, and floods. But we should be ready to step up and make a difference. We must think not only of ourselves but also of others. Let’s ponder on this: “Do we do things for the betterment of our country as well as our countrymen?”

This is our home, our only home. Each one of us is challenged. Let’s help Mother Nature.

Denise Bernadette Ramos, 14, is a Grade 8 student at St. Bridget School of Quezon City.