Sweet Sixteen

   

03 June 1994, I told you; “I can’t stand this anymore. We must have been through this thing separately many times. Either we agree to the next level or call it quits”. And you replied, “What about this coming Wednesday?” And that was it! On that 8^th of June, we went to Manila City Hall by ourselves - with just about a thousand pesos above poverty line. Single-hood was rescinded, and we went home as couples.

Sixteen years later, here we are. The sail was rough, but the adventure was all worth it. Now blessed with three amazing daughters, that even along the tests of times, if my love for you is a disease, with its magnitude and enormity, I would say that it must have long been diagnosed as benign. My heart only beats for you, and I am sure it shall go on forever. Not because you always love me back, but because I knew that I was cursed to love you.

 

I can not yet say that you complete me, because we still have a long way to go. We are not yet done. As a matter of fact, we must have just come out from honeymoon stage when it concerns our partnership in building our family. As we see our children grow, we are just like paddling off the estuary through the ocean of greater life where the stakes are higher. There is yet a bigger battle to come, and it will be a lot harder, or even bloodier - so to speak. But having you by my side shall make all those challenges far manageable. And I hope you feel the same way my most beloved one, or I may not survive.

For the last sixteen years, we leapt through a lot of stages. And I’m inclined to believe that the scars of our debacles are now dazzling like golden tattoos in our hearts. It’s still a far cry, but then again, we’ve survived another year honey. Thank you for coming into my life… into our lives… and hope you’d hang on for more. Not because you are stuck, but because it is where you belong. You and me to be together until we breathe our last, and our children too.

And to our three wonderful gems, we assure you that we will never cease dreaming for you. We are not yet very proud of what we have done to our family because Papa and Mama will always cling on the vision of a better us, or you in particular. I cry for the moment that you will significantly appreciate what I and Mama will bring onto you, with the hope that your future will be a notch better than we can imagine. So please cling on too, our dearest kids. Continue to shower us of better reasons to smile. Always be the source of our strength, and the wind beneath our wings as we soar higher and higher each day. Inspire us to be on focus, as we promise to dedicate our lives only to you.

And to you Mama, as I pledge my loyalty to our vows, that even without you saying it - I shall always embrace to your assurance that we are in this together. I love you, honey… and I’ll always will.

Happy Anniversary..!