Sen. Leila M. de Lima's Handwritten Note
Dispatch from Crame No. 61

4 / 7 / 17

As some may know, I'm a dog lover. I have 13 dogs at home, of various breeds. Coco, a 6-yr.-old Japanese Spitz, the brightest and most sensitive of them all, is my favorite. He visits me once a week. And his evey visit makes my day. When Coco is not here, my pets are stray cats, 6 stray cats. Except for one, they congregate in my quarters every night for dinner. I love feeding them. But one of them comes alone, never together with the rest. I was told the other cats gang up on him everytime they see him. I named him Blackie. Well, he's colored black, beautiful and mysterious black. Blackie is my favorite cat. Why? Because he's different--a loner, an outcast, an underdog. I give him extra care. So, I'm also now a cat lover. More and more I'm convinced that this "detour" in my life is not accidental or by chance, but by providence. It's an unexpected blessing...