Out of the Mines

It has been quite some time since I wrote last. My last blog post was on August 7. Feels like such a long time. Imagine being trapped in a mine in Chile since August 5. Not only would it feel long -- it would really be long.

Life, for me, has gotten so busy and at my age, I now get sleepy at 10pm. My previous writing time is now my sleeping time. Now I feel (at least for the meantime) that I don't need to write that often. I only write about things that move me and today is one such day.

Just like most people worldwide, I am happy that the 33 miners are now out of the mine where they were trapped in Chile. It was mind-boggling how the whole rescue was planned with the capsule and how all things were covered -- from oxygen supply to communications equipment to an escape hatch and even the order in which the miners were to be pulled out. Just thinking about how Chile worked on saving 33 miners from 2,300 feet below (reportedly at a cost of about USD 15 million to USD 20 million) is just inspiring. If anyone still doubts that miracles happen daily, this is a day to reduce all doubts.

I am sure there will be a lot of interesting stories in the coming days. Today, the newspapers carried the story of Jeff Hart, the best driller who was called to Chile while he was drilling water wells for the US Army in Afghanistan. He worked with a team to drill the hole needed to get to the miners. He says that he was quite nervous since he knew that 33 lives depended on him. Well, what can we say -- to get through a situation like this, you've got to have Hart... I mean heart.

Listening to Chile President Pinera awhile ago on television, it struck me that while the 33 men were trapped down in the mine for days, each individual played out a certain role necessary for the group to survive. Someone took care of the spiritual side. Another took care of physical exercises. Another person took care of entertainment. It was a perfect example of each person not needing to be everything but just needing to be the best that he could be at one thing at the time that it was needed.

And so, the whole world rejoices. This experience again reinforces human ingenuity and creativity and the strength of the spirit to overcome all obstacles and hardships. Above all, we remember that all of life is grace. I remember a Filipina grandmother who turned 100 just this October 10, 2010. Asked about what her secret to long life was, she replied: "There is no secret. It is simply God's will."

I was particularly touched by what one of the miners said: "I was with God and with the devil and I reached out for God." They say faith is seeing God in all things -- yes, even in a mine where there appears (and appears is the operative word here) to be no way out. With God and with humans using their God-given talents, there will always be a way out as the miners and the whole world have happily discovered. This is one for the books. Or for the movies.