Just before the power went off in our area with the coming of Typhoon Glenda, I was having quite a good laugh reading this chart/photo from my Facebook feed. It is funny because it is so true. I had to explain to my children though what it was I was laughing about and in the process ended up with an impromptu lesson in adulthood.

Image Credit: wheninmanila/vincegolangco

Typhoon Signals

Most of us know how the drill goes. Pre-school classes are automatically suspended in all affected areas at Typhoon Signal Number 1. Typhoon Signal Number 2 automatically cancels classes in pre-school, elementary, and secondary levels. It is only at Typhoon Signal Number 3 wherein classes for tertiary level are cancelled. Ditto with work in all government offices. Private companies will have to decide on their own if they will suspend work for the day.

This is the reason why Pre-school, Elementary, and Secondary Level students fall under the human or "tao" category in the chart above. The automatic suspension protects these groups from possible harm that may be caused by the typhoon even at its generally humanly "tolerable" levels. College students are said to belong to the fish or "isda" category because a typhoon coming on at signal number 3 will require people to have some sort of amphibian skills to survive the outdoors. 

It is an all-together different ball game for working adults. They fall under the immortal category because they are expected to be out there manning their work posts regardless of the weather condition, sometimes almost as if they have some super powers to resort to. And that is what separates adults from children.

At least that is how the message of the chart came across to me.

Lesson in Adulthood

Adults are the ones responsible of keeping it together in times of natural and man-made threats. Children are to be kept safe at home so that adults can do their work without having to worry about their safety. That is how the order of things go.

Even in times of great danger, adults occupying critical positions in national and local safety are expected to be doing their jobs. The rest will need to look out for the welfare of their own community, household, and children. These responsible adults were once children who had the benefit of protection from the adults that came before them. 

College students who are the next in line are simply being to trained to carry on the responsibilities of adults thus the need to expose them to a certain degree of what reality is. There are dangers out there but somebody must be there to counter them. That responsibility falls squarely on the shoulders of adults.

My Say

The natural cycle of life will bring us all to the adult phase where we will be expected to carry on, regardless of the challenges. It is not something to be afraid of especially if each and everyone will do what is required of him or her. 

That said, I hope I can train my children well to grow up as responsible adults so that I'll know that I need not be afraid when their turn to take care of the affairs of the world comes.