Love In Not An Easy But In Corinthians Way

22 years ago, on this date, 26 March 1999, I wrote my signature on a document which I thought was my first ever contract that I agreed on. Wait a minute, I think it was a marriage contract which both of us signed, and so this day is supposed to be our wedding anniversary then. But as far as I remember, there was no ceremony, no witnesses, no celebration but all I knew was we were doing a laundry back then. And seriously, on the second thought, that is how unconventional our relationship was, from the beginning (no courtship) and no wedding ceremony lol. Ooops, for all of you who were wondering if that was even binding, I think so since it was registered at NSO (National Statistic Office) and we had our marriage license before that, where we have attended a seminar first before a permit was issued, but I do not know too, since there was no one who officiated it. You just ask the legal experts with that matter. Anyways we also got married in the Catholic Church in 2001, this time in a wedding dress, ceremony, and celebrations, I am really a legal wife, don’t you think.

Is there such thing as a perfect marriage. Well for me there’s no such one. And being married is not even a bed of roses as they say or being married does not mean you have found the perfect one or you were compatible to each other. As the adage goes, love isn’t finding the perfect person, its’s seeing the imperfect person imperfectly. And will I say that I can share you a secret how we had reached this far. Nah, I don’t think so because even I don’t know, and no such thing as a formula for a lasting relationship. But one thing for sure, we had each other on our best, and we had our worst,( finger crossing) I hope that would be it. Actually, our marriage is more of downs, but it does not mean we love each other less. But what matters most is we are learning and still growing as years pass by.

And on the lighter side, here’s a few of my favorite Biblical scriptures from 1 Corinthians 13

1 Corinthians 13:1-3

If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned,[a] but have not love, I gain nothing.

1 Corinthians 13:4-7

Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful;[b] it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

1 Corinthians 13:8-12

Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away. When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways. For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known.

1 Corinthians 13:13

So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.

And since it’s our “anniversary”, let me say this by writing:

On this year, summing up the years, 25 years of being with you, 22 years of being in contract with you and 20 years of officially bonded in marriage with you, who have ever thought, we are still here, together. It was definitely not a smooth journey too, but with God’s grace, slowly we had and we continue to overcome and go on through the years. This day may not be the traditional wedding date anniversary, but it will always be special, since it was the day I officially commit myself into you as your faithful wife.

Through the years, whatever we had experienced and we have gone through, and even now I could say it not an easy marriage, I know there is a reason why for everything that had happened. This day is not even a day of proclaiming a promise of forever with you, because even the world can not promise its certainty. I just want you to know that the moment I signed a contract with you, it was a promise of choice, it was a signed commitment to you from that day forward. And today, with all thanksgiving, for another year to be with you, I pray to God to give us the strength to fulfill the purpose of our union, bless us the wisdom to know not our will but His will for us, and grant us the mercy to continue to heal our hearts from whatever mistakes and pains we had from the past and to continue to wrap us together in His arm, with the blessings of harmony and sense of peace in our family. I can’t promise that I can be here for you forever but I assure you that I will take care and love you for whatever it takes. Cheers of 22 years with you!!!