Timing

I’m a sucker for love stories. I never bought the dating culture, because I was sold out on the idea that there is one person for me and that we would meet and fall in love at the right time, without any effort or so from any of us. And I was never apologetic about this. I love love.

I share a unique love story with Gail. All of it was God-orchestrated, and until now, we are constantly blown away by how God makes things happen for the two of us, our relationship and our future family. It was the realization of everything I believed in. Gail is the manifestation of my faith in love.

However, it broke a lot of my beliefs as well, most of which I heard from movies, people, authorities, friends, family.

You’re not ready for a relationship when you’re not yet financially ready. Totoo talaga na when we’re hungry, love will keep us alive. When Gail and I got together, I lost my job, his graduation got delayed. Was that to prove that we shouldn’t have gotten together yet? NO. We are together not because we are already capable of starting a wedding fund. We are together because we are each other’s strength depots.

BBBBBBB. Books before boys because boys bring babies. Agree, agree, syempre. But the “rule” that you should not have a boyfriend/girlfriend while you are still in school was plain legalistic pala. Ganito din ako mag isip dati. I learned that maturity is never based on education. Generally, of course, teenagers are less mature than young professionals, and would therefore be more prone to wrong decisions. But a Christ-centered relationship would be focused on Christ – not on each other, not on their studies, not on their careers. God gives wisdom to whoever asks for it, not tothe college graduates. It was perfect timing that I was already Gail’s girlfriend when he was struggling to finish his thesis. I take the role of a cheerio-fan-prayerpartner during tough times, and battling acads called for me to step up and cheer for him with a wide grin.

Ligaw muna bago sagot. Love stories unfold in different ways, some through the traditional ligawan, some through other ways. Haha! Ligawan WAS a practice of the generations before mine. Girls and guys were not given as much time together as we have now. The girls had their girl group, the guys had theirs. Si if a guy wants to get to know a girl better, he exerts effort so that he would be granted permission by the girl’s parents to spend time with her. As they spend more time with each other, they fall in love. Chocolates, flowers and dates are sweet, but the heart knows better than these. Huwag mag alala, ang dalwang taong nagmamahalan, parang nagliligawan habambuhay. Baw.

A wedding is happening.
Soon.
In a church.
Or in a garbage dump, I don’t really care.
All I want there is you, and God.
If you want to let the whole world know, let’s invite them.
But don’t blame me if I don’t see them.
Because on that day, everything will be a blur except for your beautiful face.
I will be numb except to your touch and to your breath.

the future.fridge poetry.

Take a photo of the two of us
Against fluffy white blankets
Keep it, hold it dear
We’ll put it on our refrigerator
And stare at it every time
As the water bill gets displaced
By our kids’ Valentine’s notes
For Daddy and Mommy.