One rainy night in July

"If you have love in your life it can make up for a great many things you lack. If you don't have it, no matter what else there is, it's not enough."

Date: July 27, 1995
Place: Along Rizal Avenue, Caloocan City

It was one of those rainy days when he would fetch me from my university. You see, we came from different universities. He was taking up Marine Engineering in a school somewhere in Quezon City while I was taking up Accountancy in a campus somewhere in Manila. He was a working student then. But that never stopped him from finding time to fetch me everyday. For almost a month, he had been my usual sundo. He'd help me out in solving my Business Calculus assignments (Math subjects were my waterloo which on the other hand was his forte). I was always amazed at how he managed to solve those equations. Amazed as well as how he can juggle work and studies like it was in just playing balls. No, he did not got me with his looks because he is not goodlooking, ( I always tell him that till now *grin*) but it was his ways in life that made me realize his difference from all the other men that was courting me during those times. That day was a different day because as we ride that jeep traversing the traffic-jammed Rizal Avenue, he caught me by surprise when he asked me, "Mahal mo na rin ba ako?". I eventually thought it was just one of those talks that we normally have. I smiled without answering back. I was so sure that he actually was not waiting for any answers at all. We continued exchanging stories of how each of our days in school went. Bigla nyang inulit ang tanong nya, "Mahal mo ba ako?". Thinking that it was just nothing, I blurted out, "Ano sa tingin mo?". To which he quickly replied, " Mahal mo ko!" sabay hawak sa kamay ko(dinaan ako sa bilis!). He then enumerated the changes of that night will bring in my life. Ako naman parang tinuklaw ng ahas kasi di na ako nakakibo. It was only when I was all alone in my room that I came to realized na may boyfriend na pala ulit ako!

Fast forward to July 27, 2007. Today marks the 12th year from that simple beginnings we had on that night. We have battled our way to still be together until now. Twelve years after, I can say buti na lang sinagot nya ang sarili nya nung tinanong nya ako kung mahal ko sya. Kung hindi, malamang I am still not a mother and I am still single. I would have not known that, yes, there is indeed a thing called blissful marriage.

Happy 12th year anniversary to my forever boyfriend. I love you and I will always will (though sometimes I tend to be "masungit" sa iyo). It's just the way we women are. Thanks for being here with me in times that I am happy but most especially in times when I am hard to understand.