There’s a strange poem in the phrase: “We have to die before we have to be dead.” Sounds grim, doesn’t it? But give it a moment to percolate. It’s less about six feet under doom and more about transformation. Dying—not in the literal sense, but in shedding the dead weight of fear, hesitation, and “maybe next time.” It’s about understanding what it means to live before we can no longer.

And if anyone understands this, it’s Aida.

Aida’s Brush with Mortality

Aida is your quintessential strong Filipina. She was a supervisor nurse in Saudi Arabia, requiring more than just medical expertise. She managed emergencies, patients, and homesickness, all while navigating a foreign culture. Her shifts were long, and her life was on autopilot—that is, until she came face-to-face with mortality.

One day, her hospital was attacked. Aida was among the victims, critically injured. She woke up in a sterile hospital bed, her life hanging by a thread. No family. No friends. Just the hum of machines and the blur of strangers in white coats speaking a language she barely understood.

In those moments, two regrets kept gnawing at her:

1. The things she hadn’t done—dreams packed away for “someday,” plans buried under obligations.
2. The people she might leave behind—family, friends, and all the laughter and love she had yet to share.

That was her wake-up call. Survival wasn’t just a physical battle; it was a reckoning. Aida came out of that experience not just alive but determined to live.

A New Life, a New Aida

Fast forward to today, and Aida is no longer just “Nurse Aida.” She’s Barangay Kagawad Aida of New Lucena, Iloilo. If you meet her now, you’d never guess she once hovered so close to the edge. She radiates this calm, no-nonsense vibe, like someone who’s seen it all—and come back wiser.

Her “to-do someday” list? It’s now a “to-do today” list. She cooks her mother’s specialty, and religiously attends family reunions.

She’s also introduced Inner Conditioning Workshops (ICW) to her barangay. “Dying doesn’t always mean physical death,” she tells her constituents. “Sometimes, you die a little inside every time you hold back—whether it’s chasing a dream or telling someone you love them.”

The Power of Breathing

One of the most surprising tools Aida advocates? Breathing. Yes, breathing. The thing you’re doing right now. (But probably not doing it right.)

Breathing exercises, a key component of ICW, were Aida’s saving grace. They center you, she says, like a mental CPR for when life knocks you off balance.

Aida’s Life Lessons

Aida’s journey isn’t just about survival; it’s a masterclass in living. She challenges her neighbors to confront their mortality—not as a morbid exercise, but as a liberating one. Here’s her checklist for dying (to your old self) before you’re dead:

1. Stop procrastinating. What’s the one thing you’ve been putting off? Do it now.
2. Say it. Whether it’s “I love you” or “I’m sorry,” don’t wait until it’s too late.
3. Breathe. Seriously, just breathe.

Final Thoughts

Aida’s story is proof that sometimes, you have to lose a piece of yourself to find your whole self. Her near-death experience didn’t just teach her how to fight for her life—it taught her how to live it.

So, let’s take a page out of Aida’s book: Breathe. Love. Take risks. And live so fully that when the time comes, there’s nothing left to regret. Because dying before you’re dead isn’t about giving up—it’s about waking up.