Mother Earth takes revenge as it heals its wounds

It has been two days since an 8.8 magnitude earthquake struck Japan’s northeast region, yet I still couldn’t believe this could happen.

As the extent of the quake’s devastation begun to sink in, thanks to the wonders of the Internet and satellite television, one is led to accept the reality, however, that the trauma suffered by Japan and the shock of the rest of the world, will not easily be erased for some time to come. We, who were on higher and safer ground (at least temporarily), are helpless, our helplessness shown by our offers of prayers and sympathies—and donations—to the Japanese people.

We now knew how the quake shook and sort of “re-arranged” Japan. In Filipino, parang ipinagpag. NHK Television reported that due to the earthquake's power, a portion of Hensho island moved 2.4 meters to the east. We now knew how the Japanese behaved—cool, composed, and urgently moving as one—during and after the catastrophe. Fairly, we now knew how the tsunami—the giant waves that followed the quake—finished off the job that the tremor started. What destructive horror the quake and the waves wrought and how! The Japanese, famous for their meticulous planning and preparation, engineering feat, and clock-work efficiency, did not stand a chance against nature’s wrath.

But no country on earth really does when nature takes revenge; when, at its own choosing, method, and time, it avenges centuries of hurts and abuse inflicted by man on Mother Earth; no, on himself. For isn’t it true that when we exploit and endanger our only planet, the planet that hosts our existence, we pull the rug from under our very own feet?

The earth, regardless that Thomas L. Friedman says it is flat, is round; has come full circle; and is getting even. It is, I suspect, healing its wounds—deforestation; mineral, oil, and water extraction; chemical poisoning; and air and water pollution all being mortal hits—by expressing its anger through the destructive forces of nature.

When, on Friday, 11 March 2011, the earth under Japan shook and righted its crust (subduction, the process was called by geologists), it only expressed its pent-up displeasure. The earthquake and the aftershocks were a warning; the tsunami the whips. And what whips these were, trashing everything on its path!

Actually, Mother Earth’s bursts of anger have been coming in lately with, shall I say, predictable regularity. El Nino, La Nina, glaciers melting, prolonged droughts, earthquakes, tsunamis, forest fires, volcanic eruptions, landslides and mudslides, hurricanes, and fish kills are only some of the natural phenomena that baffle the best minds of humankind and for which no permanent cure is apparent. We cannot heal the manifestation of an ailment. It is the root cause that we cure.

Yet, we haven’t learned. We keep on bruising, flagellating, wounding, and harming the earth. Make that ourselves.

I don’t mean to be apocalyptic, but I remember the Holy Book speaks of the latter days when there will be famines, droughts, killer diseases, wars, and sounds of wars. We are heading towards the precipice of destruction, if we are not already in it.

We are killing Mother Earth. Ourselves.