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When giants meet

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Twinkling with Ninfa R. Leonardia

Now it’s heat. The sun must be doing overtime in the United States where Western states are  reportedly suffering  intense heat, and some states are being warned against dangers of fire. Where some states used to be suffering from snowstorms and snow banks, now some are sweltering under extreme heat. Times like this us tropical countries, happy that we have a temperate climate where the cold is never freezing nor the heat suffocating.

***

Oh, I know, and have experienced the delight of Pinoys who are going through  with experiencing their first experience with snow. I happened to be in the party of then President Joseph Estrada during his state visit to the United States and oh, how delighted we, in his media team, then. Some of the girls ran out into the open, looked up and opened their mouths to catch the snowflakes in their tongues! I never joined  them because my father had always been very strict about our drinking water, and I thought of him and what he would have said had I done it, too.

***

Yes, my father was very, very germ conscious, and whenever we were on vacation at my grandparents farm, he would hurt the feelings of his mother by making sure the well water they used for drinking, was first boiled and cooled down before he would let us drink it. Of course it tasted flat, and the spring water from the wells tasted better but he would never allow us to drink it. Even during the war years he insisted on this, and my grandmother grumbled about the firewood wasted for boiling! To his great credit, none of us got seriously sick during those days.

***

So there are good chances that the Olympic games will be held? But what about this news that only a little more than five percent of the population in that country have been vaccinated? Is there some sort of superstition against it, or is there a plot to hold off the games? No matter, it would only be their loss, I think we in the Philippines are now accepting vaccinations more freely, which is why there is hope that the virus could be conquered soon. That, and our constant prayers and precautions, of course.

***

As I write, and as you read this, however, the leaders of the biggest and most powerful countries are due to meet over crucial issues that, if handled wrongly, could lead to what could be another World War! Please Dear Lord, guide  them all so they  will pursue the maintenance of peace, and work together  for the benefit of all nations. There is still no assurance that we can move to and exist in the moon, and this earth is the only planet where we know how to survive. Protect it and its inhabitants always!

***

But what is this report from the European Union  representative that it has been determined that what divides China and the Western World, especially the European nations, are human rights issues? Even as I write this the report on TV says that China has sent 28 warplanes into Taiwan’s defense zone. Another worrisome report is that Israel has launched airstrikes over Gaza in retaliation for its “incendiary  balloons”. Now, we don’t even know how such balloons work, but let us all pray that our own country never gets involved in similar situations.

***

“America is back” – that is what President Joe Biden told leaders of the European Union ahead of his meeting with Russia’s Vladimir Putin. Begging your pardon, Sir, where has it been? Is that what he will tell  Russia’s Vladimir Putin in their expected one-on-one? I hope Putin will not retort “Russia has never gone away”. Anyway, their meeting will cover very important and serious  like cyberattacks, arms  control and the Navalry  case. Such tough  subjects and I think we should all pray that they come to successful conclusions.

***

I felt alarmed and sorry about the news that there are 128 now (maybe more today)  police officers in Region 6, our region, who have been hit by the COVID. Of course their job requires them to deal with all kinds of people, often unknowing whether those they are dealing with are victims or not. I guess I am ignorant about this matter, but do the police have hospitalization and medication benefits? That should be a priority for them and it should not only be for injuries incurred while on duty. I hope they will all recover soon, let us pray for them, they take care of us and assure our safety.*

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