Our Love Story
8:52 AM |
| Ramon and Teresa |
We grew up in two different worlds,
Our paths almost did not cross,
But one surprise was hurled,
And that one chance was not lost.
R: I was a regular 16-year old boy, fresh out of high school. My thoughts were on getting a college education and nothing else. I was totally unattached romantically as it was probably the farthest thing from my mind.
T: I was a mother at 16 and was committed to
someone. My parents extended me a lifeline by allowing me to finish my
college education. I took the chance for my daughter at the cost of
making a personal sacrifice of a mutually agreed temporary separation.
R: I first saw her when we took our entrance
examinations for college. I thought she was a vision in white.
For some unknown reason, I made a mental note of her name.
T: I took the entrance examinations with nothing in
mind but to finish college in the fastest possible time. I was hoping for
a promise to be fulfilled. I was oblivious to anything else.
R: It was the first day of classes. I found my
name in two sections and quickly scanned each for her name. I found it in
one list and reported to that class and we became classmates.
T: I reported to class on the first day with
mixed feelings of excitement and apprehension. I introduced myself to the
class and told them about my child. It felt good to be in school again.
R: I felt a tinge of regret when I heard what she said
but accepted the fact for what it was. I contented myself with being her
classmate. Because of the alphabetical seating arrangement, she was
always in front of me and because of that we often had the chance to talk.
She was nice to me as she was with everybody else. I would
sometimes see him fetching her from school and they looked happy together.
In a way, I was happy for her too.
T: The separation appeared to be taking its toll in my
relationship. In the third year of college, I was having some serious
doubts about the fidelity of the father of my child. It was a suspicion
that will soon find its confirmation. The betrayal came and the pain
dulled my senses and was literally sucking the life out of me. First, I felt
hopelessness and then anger that remained with me for so many years. This
time the separation was permanent.
R: Sometime during third year college, I sensed a
different kind of sadness about her. Even when she was laughing in class
with the rest of us, she looked different. I also noticed that he was no
longer fetching her. I wonder if that has anything to do with her
unexplained sadness but I dare not ask as I knew it was too personal.
R: It was getting near our graduation. Somehow I knew he was gone from her life. I wondered if I can
call her. I have been saving her number which I got when we worked on a
project together. I was afraid that we will not see each other again
after graduation and so I had to try. Although obviously surprised with
my call, she talked with me and answered my pretend questions about our
assignments. I would call her every time I summoned enough courage to do
so which was not often as I was running out of reasons to call her. She
would talk to me and I was happy.
T: I really didn't know how to feel about his calls. I wasn't sure where all of these was leading to. I was just happy to have someone to talk to.
Graduation came and went and we were not to see each other again until about more than a year after. We concentrated in finding work and would just talk to each other over the phone sharing our experiences in job hunting and eventually our work. The calls became more regular, expected even, and everything went well with us as friends. Then the unexpected happened...
R: One day, I called her up as usual but to my great
alarm, I was informed by the one who answered that she no longer lived there.
Apparently, she went with her father, two siblings and her daughter to
live in their restaurant. I panicked and felt an urgency to finally let
her know how I really felt. After pleading for her contact number from
the one who answered my call, I called her up and felt an immense sense of
relief from hearing her voice. I asked her permission to visit her which
she gave with a warning that her father may not welcome such a visit.
T: Our family was undergoing a very stressful situation
during this time as my father was given only six months to live because of his
sickness. A visiting suitor was probably the least expected to come at
this time. To my surprise however, my father simply said yes when I asked
his permission. Wonders never cease!
And so it came to pass that after five years of friendship,
our relationship evolved into a romantic one. We dated exclusively for
ten years and watched our friends get married one after the other. Our
situation was a lot complicated than theirs so we found ourselves holding back.
Fifteen years ago today, we finally took the marital plunge.
It was one of the most solemn and beautiful weddings if we
may say so, not because it was extravagant but because of the emotions that it
had been given not only by us but also by our guests and the officiating priest
who knew what we went through to get to that day. In our fifteen years of
marriage, we have literally gone through the lines contained in the marital vow
"for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in
health...".
Every day of that fifteen years represented our triumph over
the various challenges we have to face. These years were nowhere perfect
and that is why we are thankful we are still together. We are thankful
that we have not given up.
Our Say
Five years of friendship, ten years of engagement, and fifteen years of marriage equal thirty years worth of a love story. We hope it isn't too much to ask for thirty more years together in this world. By then, we would have readied part two of this story.
- Ramon and Teresa
43 comments
Those pics got me holding back tears. How time flies! Wonder how the other classmates are doing?
ReplyDeleteA love story that spans 30 years and counting(a revelation),hats off to you both. Your wish is my wish too.
HAPPY WEDDING ANNIVERSARY TO YOU AND HUBBY!!! :D
When we look back, it feels like such a long, long time.
DeleteSeeing these pictures also made me think of our friendship which I will make an article about in the very near future.
I love how you narrated your love story. I was literally glued to the screen, as I read through every detail. I'm a sucker for love stories. Thus making me a hopeless romantic.
ReplyDeleteThank you Teresa for sharing your beginnings with the love of your life. I hope to have the same passion, patience, love and willingness to surpass all of the challenges with my beau as well. We will be celebrating our 5th year of being bf/gf.. hopefully an engagement follows soon. :) More blessings to you, to your hubby and to your kids! :)
My husband and I dedicate this story to our children so they will get to know us better and appreciate what it takes to maintain a relationship.
DeleteThank you Mai for your appreciation of our story. I wish you and your beau the best and hope to read about your love story in the future.
so sweet of him to finding a way to be close to u and to get you as his gf
ReplyDeleteThis is indeed a love story that's worthy to be shared. I hope couples these days can somehow find the inspiration that challenges can be surpassed as long as two people are willing to stay together. Your kids will truly be proud upon reading this! :D
ReplyDeleteWow, you guys almost had each other at the first encounter. The timeline of your love story is worth trailing and reading over and over again. Congratulations to both of you.
ReplyDeleteYour love story is so inspiring and the way you presented it was really nice. It gave two sides of the story and eventually became one great story. Wishing you 30 or more years together.
ReplyDeleteI really love your story, very inspiring. You are made perfect for each other.
ReplyDeleteHey, just want to say, I was totally awed by your poem. Great love story, parang pang-telenovela. your relationship was made in heaven, and yes, God always gives the best for those who wait.
ReplyDeleteI'm a hopeless romantic and your love story glued me from the start up to the end. I loved how you were able to give both sides of the story. Sweet! Many more years to come for the both of you! :')
ReplyDeleteAww... what a lovely story. I'd love to see this on the big screen, mam!
ReplyDeleteNaiyak ako. I am so happy for you. I hope that when things are not so complicated, FM and I will eventually tie the knot as well.
ReplyDeletethis is indeed a love story and just proved how true is his feelings for you from day one... how long he has waited for the right time... some kind of a love... you're very blessed to have each other... :) god bless more your family and your union...
ReplyDeleteI am teary-eyed reading your love story I didnt know that such stories happens in real life. This blog post makes me know you a little bit more;) congrats for that 30 years and I am hoping me and my bf will reach that too.
ReplyDeletethis is such a very heart-warming love story! more power to you both + here's hoping I find the happy ending that you both found in each other! ♥
ReplyDeleteAwwww... your love story gave me goosebumps and I was teary-eyed while reading it!
ReplyDeletehonestly, it made me cry. We have different paths to make, different love story to create, I always believe that the most important thing is not just the beginning of the story but how it ended.
ReplyDeleteA very inspiring love story. May you be blessed with more years of togetherness!
ReplyDeleteYou're really meant for each other, and you deserve so many more years of marital bliss. I enjoyed reading your love story.
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely story! I also like the photos and its sepia color. There is a notion that men find it hard to express their emotions because of the way they were raised. And to even write and blog about it shows that your husband has a very healthy emotional side. You are an amazing couple and I wish you more happy years together.
ReplyDeleteI very much appreciate how writers like you create such an inspiring piece of love memoir. Truly a story of two people bound to love each other and share life together maybe eternally. I'm sure your story will be a living testimony that your kids may emulate.
ReplyDeleteKathy Ngo: I hope you will have what you wish for in life. My prayers go with you.
ReplyDeleteAna Karen Banhag: We try everyday to recognize that blessing even in bad times as we always have our story to look back to.
ReplyDeleteZoan: Sometimes reality is stranger than fiction. I'm sure other people have different stories to tell which will amaze us.
ReplyDeleteJared's mum: Everything will fall into place in time.
ReplyDeleteMusings of a working mom: I'm sure our story is still far from its ending. I only hope that we can do what we need to do until the final ending comes.
ReplyDeleteiaadamlim: Thanks! He really had to tell his part of the story since it wouldn't really be the same if I did all the storytelling myself.
ReplyDeleteThank you marri. It is our hope that our story can help others who are in similar difficult situations to overcome and be happy.
ReplyDeleteAng ganda ng love story nyo ,kakainlove
ReplyDeleteAng sarap balik-balikan ng post na ito. Saludo talaga ako sa love story nyo. BTW siguro naman my theme song kayo. share mo naman.
ReplyDeleteOur theme song? ang walang kamatayang "What Matters Most"
ReplyDeletewhat a lovestory..it moved me and i got teary... very rare!!!
ReplyDeletewow...this is what we call true love...no matter what or wherever you are, you both are destined to be together forever...
ReplyDeleteIndeed, true love knows no bounds. It respects no time. This is one rare heartrending tale that moved me to tears. Such a beautiful and amazing story of two different people that's meant to be together, forever.
ReplyDeleteI salute you for the patience especially your husband. Most men wouldn't wait that long. You both are lucky and blessed to have each other.
Cheers to more years of blissful marriage!
Everything happen for a reason and you are one of the living proof. Happy anniversary to both and I love the family pics. I don't normally read long posts but when it comes to love story such as this, I am hooked!
ReplyDeleteCongratulations! Your love story is an inspiration. A lot of people give up on their love without giving a fight. I always believe in serendipity. You two were meant to be together and after reading what you have been through. It's just right that you and your love are united. The stars are all aligned for you <3
ReplyDeleteI pray that you and your hubby Ramon will have more happy years of togetherness to celebrate. God Bless.
I really know what to feel after reading your love story but all I know is I am in tears... actually happy tears for you and Ramon.
ReplyDeleteI also can relate a little to the love story since hubby and I had a long engagement too before we finally decided to get married.
I am just so happy for you and for how your love story started and end up in marriage. Praying that you will continue to love each other forever.
God bless you and your whole family Sis Teresa :)
Oh gosh, I am teary eyed with your love story, sis! Very nice and worth every second I spent staying here! Thank you for sharing this part of your life! It is such an inspiration! Congratulations on the 30 years of a beautiful love story! May God bless you more with 30 more of those! :)
ReplyDeletewhat an awesome couple you both have been po... it's great to read such a wonderful love story... cheers to life and to your marriage po.. :)
ReplyDeleteawwwwwww..I just love reading stories like this...belated happy anniversary both! way to go...:)
ReplyDeleteVery sweet love story. And 30 years? Wow! Happy anniversary to both of you. May you experience many more years of bliss in your marriage.
ReplyDeleteI read your beautiful story twice and was teary eyed from start to finish...I think I may read it again and not get tired because it is such a wonderful story of true love...so inspiring ...I wish you many years of togetherness and love to continually bless your family....:)
ReplyDeleteLet us know what you think