MY wife Victoria Arcega and I were married on December 26, 1976. Today is our 38th wedding anniversary. I’ll never forget that day. It was a simple garden wedding at SAIDI in Intramuros. We decorated the place ourselves. We had a very informal wedding. She was wearing a dress made of kacha and I was wearing maong pants and a kacha top to complement her, as youd see in the photos above. And I was wearing a torn pair of rubber sneakers. While decorating the place, my mother in law (God bless her soul, one of the best people I ever met in my life), kept asking me: “Mario, hindi ka ba magpapalit ng sapatos?” And I’d tell her: “Mamaya na po, kapag magmamartsa na kami sa altar.” But at the back on my mind, I knew I wanted to wear the torn sneakers all throughout the wedding. It’s a statement of how simple I’d like our married life to be. ANd you could say my relationship with my mother in law started on the wrong shoe. When Vicky had a sudden departure six years ago, I thought everything would be downhill from then on and my life is almost over. After all, my 31 years of life with her truly comprise the best years of my life. I thought everything else would be anti-climactic since I will never find someone like her. She’s really the best thing that happened to me. She’s just irreplaceable. She’s just the best in everything. She IS just the perfect partner. The best thing she did is bringing me back to the Lord without even pressuring me to do so, but by just being a good example of what a good Christian should be. We made a good team. We were both at our happiest when serving in our apostolate, the Discovery Weekend of the Center for Family Ministries. I have no doubt she is with God as she was a living saint and we now have an angel to look after us. Up to now, I talk to her every night, asking her to intercede for me and our children, in laws and grand children, our brothers and sisters and their respective families, so the Lord will continue to take good care of us and bless us. And the Lord does exactly that for me. Every new day is a gift, a new start and the greatest grace He has given is learning to let go of all the non-essentials in my life. I’m just grateful that He has given me a job that I enjoy doing, writing. And I can do it right at the comfort of my own home, with the help of the latest in technology: my laptop and the internet. I have everything I need. I’m so blessed my son MM and his family live with me and keep me company every day. Seeing my grandchildren Victoria Jane and Miguel Andre every morning is enough to perk up my day. The remaining days of my journey called life continue to unfold with God’s grace. I’ve learned to always take it easy, to accept the things that are no longer in my hands. I don’t pressure myself to do anything I don’t really want to do. I’m not in competition with anyone. I know my own value and worth. I’m no longer a fan of any personality and I’m no longer overwhelmed by anything, but I admire good work in any field. I’ve learned to ask for discernment so that I will do what God is bidding me to do. His will, not mine. After all, HE is the one who is in control, not me. I have no fear of aging, despite its restrictions. I will do my part in eating the right food, exercising, not stressing myself, and I know God will do the rest in my sunset years. I rely on prayer to do for me the things I cannot do by myself. Like I always say, everything is grace, but we should all know our limitations. And all I can say to GOD is: thanks for everything. And forgive me for all my sins, of which I have many. And to Vicky, happy anniversary. I know you’re still with me.
Posted on: Fri, 26 Dec 2014 14:38:20 +0000
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