It was this summer, April 27, 2010… when I almost let my negligence kill myself and my mom's as well. There's no other people in our home aside from my mom and I wherein I'm the only one who's awake. It was dawn time or should I say early morning when I started to boil some water in the kettle for a cup of coffee. I haven't got enough sleep that day, so I decided to take a nap in my room and trying to convince myself that I'll be awake when the water starts to boil. Still, I took some short sleep while the gas stove was on in the kitchen. Then, I blacked out… without realizing that I was sleeping soundly for an hour and a half. Until… my mom woke me up in panic and I was in awe as the first thing that comes into my mind was the water that I was waiting to boil which would only have lasted for about fifteen minutes and I figured out as I've looked at the at the wall clock that it had been more than an hour since I fell asleep.Thank God that my mom showed her alertness and presence of mind and didn't easily get carried away with the situation. The kettle was already flaming and its hard plastic part in its holder melts down in fire. The water inside it obviously runs out really dry. And there's smoke all over the house. My mom turned off carefully the gas tank and not the stove due to an instinct that it might have blown up the whole place including the both of us if she turned off the stove first because of the heavy pressure and heat. We opened all the windows and the door afterwards to let the smoke comes out of the house. Then my mom and I sat down without any words as she began to pray by herself as I did the same thing too. I assumed that my mom thanked God in her prayer for we have been spared in a more tragic ending and I feel the same way too. I apologized deeply to my mother with the feeling of guilt that stabs my heart whenever I remember this incident. If only I have been more aware of the consequences of my negligence and drowsiness. Knowing the fact and being exposed in the television that summer is "Fire Prevention Month". I felt stupid for myself that time for I've ignored the warnings around me. I was thinking that, what if my mom didn't woke up and both of us did sleep soundly? Will we be able to survive or be awake if we're already suffocated?
After this traumatic event, my mom told me that it's still not her time, for maybe God wants her to fulfill her purpose in our family and to take good care of us. Then, she asked me… how about you, why do you think you're still alive? It was a long pause. I was speechless and I didn't have even a single word to answer the cheesy question. Now, I am more aware and careful of my actions and wondering the purpose of my existence in a meaningful way. Life is a short journey that can be ended up in just a snap and any form of survival in any misfortune is a bonus from God that we should go on and prove the worth of our existence. Not trying to be preachy, but... it's true.
