IT’S THE SMALL THINGS By ALEX M. EDUQUE      Alex M. Eduque There are moments in your life that undoubtedly alter your perspective more than others. Moments that humble you, and make you realize that in the greater scheme of things, you are only but a fragment. I write this as the Taal Volcano is spewing and erupting. It has been a good ten hours since it began, and it was certainly unexpected, and one of those situations where we can only predict and prepare so much, but at the end of the day, the end scenario is left uncertain. Our only option really is to let Mother Nature take its course, whichever way she chooses to, and pray for the best – no, or more realistically, the least amount of causalities, fatalities, and disaster possible. It is one of those moments in life where we have absolutely no power or control on the outcome, and the most we can do is to mitigate and reduce possible worst case scenarios. We can only hope, and cling on to faith. And trust in a greater power. It is one of those times when we are certainly not alone in what we are feeling, yet, everyone is helpless. It is a time when Mother Nature is more active, and in the meantime, we watch her show unfold. It is a time for us to cling on to faith, and really, surrender to a greater power. It is, after all, part of the geographical hazards of living within the Ring of Fire. On most days, we are able to admire the scenic landscape and beauty of our volcanoes, but along with that, comes the risk of eruptions just like the one we are witnessing tonight. Seismic activity, though more frequent now than I can recall in the past, is still much rarer than typhoons, perhaps explaining why more people are on edge, but not necessarily less destructive. Both are natural disasters capable of equal magnitudes of damage. The point I am trying to drive is that this is yet another instance out of our hands, and out of our control. Where the most we can do is pray as a people, and hope for the best. It is another time that tests our faith, and where we are left with the best choice of making the most out of the situation. I was talking to a good friend the other day about a major surgery she had gone through a few years back, and she told me that it was most definitely a life-changing moment. She recalls never having felt pain like that before, and even if her family and loved ones were around her, she knew she only had faith to cling to at those trying times. She described the pain as humbling and awakening, and one that made her realize that when things are not in your control, the only thing you can really do is trust in a greater power. And though in this case physical pain was the enemy, it is no different from the natural disaster plaguing our community right now in that it is a situation out of our hands. At the end of the day, we are but a small part of the greater world, and our powers as human beings pale in comparison to Mother Nature’s – whether that be her wrath or an abundance of blessings – or the debilitating capacity of pain. We all have our role in this world, and part of that is to make sure we contribute positively to our community in whatever way we choose to do so. Ika nga, “Nasa Diyos ang awa, nasa tao ang gawa.” Good actions yield positive results, and whatever the outcome of even the most negative of situations are, there is always an opportunity to be an instrument of goodness. Let us make it our aim to spread our sunshine wherever we may go – rain, shine, or ash – and believe me, it is much easier to be a bright light in the dark sky.