Do you sometimes get the feeling that you want to get away from it all? You may get a chance – on its next trip, that is. The NASA has launched its new invention called the Perseverance that is aimed at Mars, the planet. I mean. It is due to land on what has been identified as the “Jezero Crater”. I mean, it must have landed already because it was due Thursday, that is yesterday. But perhaps you can wait for the next trip, and book your passage now. The team has even identified its landing area as the Jezero Crater!
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Let us wish those adventurous ones who dare to make the trip the best of luck. Who knows, some of us may opt to move there with all the natural calamities like floods and snowstorms plaguing us lately. Well, maybe not our generation, but, for sure, the future ones will dare. Unless there are inhabitants there who look so different from us, eat different things that we do, and also cannot communicate with us I guess we have to content ourselves with Mother Earth and what she can provide us for now.
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But let us not be complacent, because Mother Nature has not been very protective of us lately. We’ve had storms and floods and earthquakes, and our Taal Volcano is even suspected to be acting up. That is without mentioning the COVID plague that seems have slowed down a bit, but not fully conquered. Sometimes I’m inclined to think of the Seven Plagues of Egypt, but my Bible was lost in the fire that destroyed a room in our ancestral home about three years ago, and I have recently ordered a copy of the same edition from the source.
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Our president and the President of the United States seem to be of one mind. After I heard a report saying that President Duterte hopes to have vaccinations for everyone by July, the President of the United States was also reported to have a similar target. But that is a good five months away, Messrs. Presidents, and what do you imagine will be the cost in lives by that time? Isn’t there any way we can stress the urgency of the need?
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But let us not grumble about our circumstances despite the fact that we may also experience calamities now and then. Think of the American people, even those of Texas, who are now experiencing very thick layers of snow. And to top it all, they also do not have electric power, at least as of this writing, so one can just imagine what agonies they go through trying to warm themselves! Despite the fact that Texas is a very wealthy state, it has also been affected by calamities, so we can even say that we are in a better situation than them. For that, we should be thankful.
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How can we stop talking about vaccines when the entire world population is longing for them and the supply does still not seem enough to fill all needs? The Presidential spokesperson has assured that we may get a version of it by late this month or July. Which is which? How many more victims will we account for while waiting for July? Nations are now wrangling over vaccine supplies, and Mexico has been reported to be filing a case before the United Nations because of what it called the “unequal distribution of vaccines”. I hope we don’t get into wars over vaccines!
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I can almost sympathize with Ferdinand Marcos Jr., a.k.a. “Bongbong”. The Presidential Electoral Tribunal has turned down his case questioning the election of now Vice President Leni Robredo, but, apparently the son is just as stubborn as his father, and is still elevating his case to the High Court. Well, he has the time and money, and the next election will be in 2022, so he may still find a venue to back him up. But, alas, does he not realize that Filipinos will always associate his family name with the dictatorship and Martial Law? But let him hope, there is no fee for that.
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Whoever it was who prophesied that life will return to normal by Christmas, must have had some Divine inspiration, but how can we question it? It is all that we are hoping and longing for! How can you imagine celebrating the birthday of Our Lord, still in quarantine, or dealing with people infected by the COVID that we are continuously praying and hoping will go away? Let’s ask our Lord for an advanced Christmas Gift. Let’s ask Him to take away the COVID and spare the whole world from it, before His birthday this year!*
