Always do your best, your best is going to change from moment to moment, it will be different when you are healthy as opposed to sick. Under any circumstances, simply do your best, and you will avoid self judgment, self-abuse and regret. This is true because the greatest enemy you have is yourself. Many thoughts like assumptions, speculations, suspicion and mistrust are all created in a person’s mind that would create much worry, fear, anxiety and depression. The mind always fill the past, the present and the future. The past experiences would have a strong hold that prevents one’s self from moving on and the thought of the future brings much worries because of its uncertainties. The present also has its own, the struggle in order to survive, the main idea of achieving the success at that very day. One cannot wait for another day in order to be successful. One desires to be wealthy in an instant. The contrary most probably is the reality, not being wealthy and health, but drown to debt and obligations which could cause mental stress and weakness in the faith of the very own self. The most common of all is the feeling of self-pity, that would lead to regret and self-blame. Why hate our very own-self? Why not become a best friend of one’s self? Why look and depend on someone else called best friend and then later on become worst enemies and all the secrets which has to be kept will be divulge into public. No person would betray her own self, other person would do, because of envy, jealousy, greed and unloyalty. There are even times when siblings pick their own special friends who are not family members or blood related. They give much trust and favors more than they give to their own sister or brother. They become more kind, more understanding to the so called bff, or best friends forever. They open up to them every detail and every secret may it be lovelife, career, and future plans in life. The attachments to them is more tight than the attachments they give to a family member. They always give a ‘’yes’’ every favor asked from them, but needs a long discussion that would even result to a debate, when a family member would ask help or favor. The reason for all these is the experiences instilled in their minds during the past, when they were still young, when they would fight for small things like toys, food, and money. They would not forget it, that would be the basis why no more favor for you because you were not kind to me when we were young. Unforgettable experience, when one is the favorite of the parents, and the other is seemed neglected. Another basis is when one is more beautiful than the other, or more intelligent than the other. One would say, I am the favorite child of my father. The other would say, I am the favorite of my mother.

When Adna attended the wedding in the distant province, where they slept overnight in the so called haunted house, Adna had the chance to talk with the older sister of the bride who is Adna’s friend. She is a nun and her younger sister is also a nun but had decided to go out from her congregation and then she married a widower with many children. Adna’s friend is her younger sister, and she shared to Adna when it happened. Adna was the one who facilitated their father when he was hospitalized, arranged the payment through a Letter of Authority which would give them an ample time to look for money and pay their financial obligation. Adna was always the refuge of her friend whenever there were problems in her family. The active nun, always talked about her sister who was a former nun. Adna could not believe that she would hear such negative comments from a nun’s mouth. Adna then just listened to her, ‘’i am the favorite child of my father, when he was hospitalized and was scheduled for operation, it was me who decided and talked with the doctor that no operation would be performed as we have no money, just medication.’’ Adna replied, ‘’if you were his favorite, why is it that your younger sister is named after him?’’ She paused and looked at Adna, it was an unexpected truth expressed by Adna. Truth is painful, but Adna was just honestly saying what was in her mind. She continued, when she was young and i want her to do something, i would throw to her a coconut husk. My other sister just brought shame to the family marrying a man with many children and my father was problematic about her, and he died because of her.’’ Adna said, to her, ‘’i was there when your father was brought to the hospital, the doctor who handled your father is my friend and the neuro-surgeon she referred is a neurosurgeon specialist and his professional fee is unachievable for ordinary persons, but he offered his services for free. I knew your father’s condition even when he was at the emergency room, he was already hopeless, he was immediately transferred to the intensive care unit which required a big amount of money for a deposit, but i told the business office that it will be a letter of authority which would just follow, then the big money for deposit was no longer required. Your father’s condition was too critical, in fact your sister called many priests to come and give him the sacrament of the anointing of the sick, but nobody came. When i learned that one of the priests said he could not come as he has an important thing to do, i called him to come cause he would have a moral obligation if he refuse and the patient would die without receiving it, then he came.’’ It is not because of your sister who just followed the dictate of her heart in her choice of being in love, stop blaming her.’’ I understood that you have sibling rivalry in the family, and being a nun you must practice humility.’’ You should be thankful, your father survived ten years, where you could have embraced him, serve him, and make memories before he left this world, the good memories of course. You have to be grateful to that blessing that God has given you. The long time he extended to your father and i know why, it is because of your younger sister who is named after him, she loves your father so much and i am a witness to that.’’ Azia, Lex, and Al the second who heard every discussion shared to their mom their observations, ‘’she is not a nun, her character is not good.’’ On the other hand, nuns who normally is addressed with ‘’sister’’ as a sign of respect, Adna called and addressed her by her name. She was wearing the habit of a nun but Adna just treat her like the ordinary siblings she had. From inside of the house, their brother came in, and their mother were also there, Adna’s friend, the bride to be said, ‘’that is Adna, she was the one who helped our father when he was hospitalized and provided the doctors as well. Adna also facilitated in allowing our father to check out from the hospital even having not paid the hospital bill yet. Our father when he was alive always wanted Adna to visit here so that he could personally thank her, but she did not come, only now to attend my wedding.’’

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When Adna had her last work as a missionary, the legal clinic side by side with the medical clinic, one of her relatives gave food to Adna for the lawyers and doctors. Her two children now worked in Australia with the help of her well off/rich sister but with also a very bad character. Her sister is married to an older man whose work generates good income. She could extend financial help to her family like her sister and her nieces but with a lot of bad words coming out from her mouth which truly hurts them. Her two children now live independent from their aunt after being alleged that she flirted with the husband. That started their animosity and everytime she comes to the country for a visit or to buy properties, the older sister never meet her. One time she told Adna, ‘’she is now in her newly bought house and it is near the beach, go and visit her.’’ Adna replied, ‘’what about you, then we both go there.’’ She answered, ‘’no, i can’t’’. She may shout at me and say, ‘’why are you here, am i inviting you, you would be asking money?’’ Adna smiled and said, ‘’she would be surprised if i go there and she might also ask me, ‘’am i inviting you?’’ Then they both laughed. When they were young they lived at the back of the chapel which was also in front of the house of Papa Mar and Mom Rona. The fence of Papa Mar’s surroundings were not concrete, so Adna could see the passers by. Adna since she cannot go out of their place, would just sit at the porch and then she saw that their parents would quarrel and the father physically abused the mother. Adna could not withstand seeing the situation. When the fight was over, she would call the younger sister who was crying. Adna asked her if she have money when she goes to school. She answered ‘’no’’. Adna would get in to the house and asked money from Mom Rona to buy condensed milk and she would cook it as milk candy. She also asked someone to help her, During that time, Adna was young and Al was not yet in her life. She made many candies and then she would ask the younger sister of her friend to bring it to school and sell the milk candies and she can use the money. She has two younger sisters as well the older one, Adna’s friend. There were days when she went to Adna and cried, her sisters ate the candies and they did not pay. Adna told her, ‘’do not worry, i will make more candies for you to sell. As she grew, she became very responsible in making money, she goes to the market at 3:00 a.m. every day to sell. Their products were meat so she was used to hold big amount of money. The other sisters as well as the parents became dependent to her, she became the breadwinner of the family. As years came by, she happened to have a pen pal who hails in Australia, but the man was even older than her father. They visited Adna’s house and introduced her soon to be husband to Adna. The man was nice and kind. Adna talked to him with sincerity, ‘’she had been working hard though she is young, she goes to the market a 3:00 a.m. everyday, please handle her with much care that she never experienced from her parents.’’ She is so loved by her husband, financially she is well provided. Adna knew that deep inside of that young woman is the debt of gratitude towards Adna, but all the help which Adna extended to her though remembered is not counted. She one time told and invited Adna that she can go to Australia and everything like house, food and medicine will be given and provided for Adna but it was not the priority of Adna to go to other countries with no significant intent. She is happy in the place where she belonged because this is where God wants her to be. If they just realize how short time is, they would not waste it with sibling rivalry but instead make use of the time to make good memories as they grow old. It is essential in life, every person is just given the chance to make good memories with their loved ones, spending time with each other.