Thanksgiving

We love burgers, hotdogs, Hollywood, DC and Marvel and nearly everything American, but some of their traditions didn't quite hit us, such as Thanksgiving.

- IRIS GONZALES

In the US, it is observed every fourth Thursday of November, celebrating the harvest and other blessings of the past year. There's feasting with the trademark turkey, family gatherings and a whole lot of gratitude.

While some Filipino families observe the holiday, Thanksgiving isn't a big thing in our country.

Just the same, the annual tradition got me thinking - what should Filipinos be thankful for in these difficult, chaotic and dizzying times?

We're still here

First and foremost, we should all be grateful that we're still here. Surviving, no matter how challenging things are. Eleven months into the year and three years into the Marcos administration. It's surreal I know, but it's also a statement of fact. Here we are, surviving the day before and all the other difficult days before that - despite the unraveling of the Marcos administration, despite all the corruption, despite not having a strong-willed president and a competent leader. In short, despite being in what seems to be a rudderless ship. It is what it is.

Consider yourself fortunate that despite our government perennially failing us, we managed to make it to today, hopefully with our people, our loved ones, our family around us, breathing, alive and hopefully as healthy as we all hope we would be.

Mother Nature's wrath

Second, it is almost unthinkable to appreciate Mother Nature's wrath but it is the wake-up call that has opened the Pandora's box of massive thievery in flood control projects.