As my youngest sibling Pascu (Anand) approaches his half-century milestone, I can't help but reflect on a similar, albeit different, moment in my own life. Forty-seven years ago, while in ninth grade, my young mind grappled with life's challenges and the overwhelming anxiety of uncertainty. To comfort myself, I reminded myself that nothing is permanent and things would change.

I then daydreamed about the day Pascu would complete his fiftieth year. I pictured how we would look, where we would be, and what our status might be, hoping we'd all be achievers in our own right. Most importantly, I wondered if I would remember this moment.

Today, as that day approaches, I'm humbled and ecstatic to realize my wish of us being achivers has come true. Though I wish all ten of us could gather to commemorate this event – sitting in silence, reminiscing about the past with gratitude for our wonderful journey thus far, the pandemic has made this impossible.

Nevertheless, this red-letter day fills me with overwhelming emotion and a desire to celebrate it:

Cheers to the day!

Happy Birthday Pascoal Anand Hermigildo de Delfino Pereira

Stay young and blessed, brother.