Happy 79th Birthday, Raida!
Raida came after me, as I am the eldest of six siblings. Among us, I have always considered her the kindest. She is compassionate, considerate, and, like many of us in the family, hardworking. Happy 79th birthday, Raida! Raida, just recently, you said that perhaps you would be the next one to go, following our brother Bebet, who passed away three years ago. Perhaps you said this because, given your health condition, you feel that you are the most vulnerable among us who are still here. You even said that maybe Gilbert or I would be the last to go. But I would not make such a prediction, even if I consider myself relatively stronger than my other siblings. The truth is, none of us knows when our time will come. That is not for us to decide. In fact, since I suffered that foot injury several months ago, I have also felt weaker than I used to be. Some people might consider these thoughts morbid, especially on a birthday. I know that many would rather not talk about death, but...
