UNCERTAINTIES

The pandemic brings out the best and worst in us. The abrupt change was so sudden, nobody was ready, nor list of priorities was not set for such massive distortion of our usual lives. When everything halts up to the minimum standards of social distancing, people began to panic, the usual mobility was threatened; celebrations were cancelled, weddings rescheduled, and summer escapade literally scored out of the bucket list. Different sentiments echoed in different social media platforms from the oldies Facebook up to IG, YouTube. We chat, Twitter, Flickr, tumbler, liked, foursquare along others.

While others hated the idea, there is a majority of people who opted to stay home rather than be sorry. After couple of months under various level of quarantine, we begin to compensate with the situation with different ways to cope. Others become more academically talented uploading educational materials on social media. While others pour out their entrepreneurship spirit by opening an online shop selling everything, anything under the sun.

However, others simply took it one step a day, couch potato is real! If you’re an educator like me, I know you are obligated to create different modalities in different medium. Visiting your students makes them feel important, as we utterly say it, ‘education must continue’. We had plenty of questions, limitations, and doubts. We never had any idea on how to proceed if face-to-face classes will open. Are teachers allowed to report to school this coming June? Department memoranda are released like pancakes, the more it explains, the more it becomes complicated.

We started to have questions, become confused and scared. We fear of what lies ahead. The worse nightmare becomes reality when the President said he is in favor of suspension of face-to-face classes not unless a vaccine will be found, foregoing the classes in favor of the students well- being. Without classes, as teachers, our future becomes dim.  The news created a riffle of fear among the education community, contemplating their finances and their ability to support their family becomes uncertain.

As a teacher I would rather not complain. I’m not pretentious but my trust is not on this world. God said in the Book of Psalm, and I quote. Psalm 121:2 “My help comes from the LORD, who made heaven and earth.” I may have fear, flaws, and self-doubt. But I battled my own problems, closing the door of my room kneeling crying and praying. I know He will hear me, as I cast all my cares upon the Lord.  I still praise the Lord …