Here I am again, struggling for
words, lost in my thoughts, thinking of the past, dreaming about the future.
Our future. It has been eight years since we said: “I Do” to each other and yet
it just seemed like yesterday. How time flies. June 26. The day I would forever
remember as the happiest day of my life. You embraced a life with me though you’re
aware of how difficult it could get along the way. You accepted despite not
being the perfect man, despite my flaws, despite my shortcomings. You chose to
sacrifice some of the things you liked and loved. You gave up your own dreams
and aspirations, just so we could chart OUR own. You chose to be with me, to
build a family with me, to live your future with me. And for that I am forever
grateful. Thank you. Thank you for being a wonderful person, for being an
amazing woman, for being a great friend, for being a fabulous partner, and most
of all for Ruth.
Walong taon. That is not an easy
feat. We both deserve a warm hug and a good kiss from each other. We have been through
a lot together. We fight, we argue, we say things that hurt. That we did a lot.
Not because we hate each other but because we respect each other’s uniqueness,
we respect each other’s personality. We are not a perfect couple- in fact far
from it, but what makes us stand out is our ability to weather the storm
together, our tenacity to survive whatever is thrown our way, our resilience
against life’s wonderful and not so wonderful surprises. The last 8 years saw
us pitted against life’s challenges. It tested our resolve, our commitment to
each other and to the family we have built together. But life has also given us
many pleasant surprises, bountiful blessings, great successes and wonderful occasions
worth keeping in our hearts. I must admit I would not have enjoyed these things
without you beside me. You are my rock. You are my pillar. You are my strength.
I am who am because you are with me.
Being my wife is not an easy
task, not a walk in the park, I should say.
I have my quirky attitudes. I sometimes have a personality only you can
tolerate- because you understand me. Because you love me. And that makes me
love you more and more each day. Loving Me means having to look after me all
the time, the way you look after Ruth. Loving me means having to contend with
my indifference, with my coldness, with my silence. Loving me means enduring my
weird since of humor, my sarcasm, my poor attention span, my poor fashion
sense, my beer-drinking, my pimples, my saliva on the pillow, my annoying
habits, my bad jokes, my lack of social skills. Loving me means enduring an
Army wife’s life, going to camps, supporting my advocacies, putting your life
in danger (sometimes). It means sleeping in humble quarters, seeing a crawling mouse
(followed by a slithering snake), bathing with a broken dipper with water
fetched from the well. It means accepting my family and loving them as yours.
It means valuing and caring for the things I care for. And you did. And for
that, again, I am forever grateful.
Thank you for being my wife, my
partner, my lover and friend. Thank you for being a wonderful-tiger mom. Ah,
yes. Tiger mom- that you are. A tiger who loves her cub (tama ba?), with all
her heart. A tiger who can and who will pounce on anybody if that means
protecting her baby. A tigress willing to hunt every single day, in the
perilous jungle, to bring home the best for the person she loves. A mom whose
warmth is so soothing and calming it puts us to sleep.
Thank you for looking after us.
Thank you for always thinking about our welfare, for putting our family above
anything else. Thank you for being our strength, our rock, our refuge, our
sanctuary.
Today, I renew my vows with you.
I renew my commitment, my dedication, with a promise to love you more each day.
You are my Life. My Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow. Happy Anniversary. I love
you.
JBO
