Our Love Story

by Reggie

On a warm day long ago, I was a brand-new lieutenant assigned to a quiet village in Magalang, Pampanga—still learning the weight of my uniform and the rhythm of command. Life then was simple, disciplined, and predictable... until one bright afternoon when three village lasses arrived at my detachment, their laughter as radiant as sunlight. They had come from a nearby ancestral home in search of the former commander, a relative of theirs.

But fate, it seemed, had written their visit into my story for another reason.

Among them was one whose presence lingered long after they had gone. There was something about her—graceful yet unassuming—that quietly captured my attention. Before long, together with my Academy buddy assigned to my unit, I found myself visiting her home, the grand house standing proudly at the center of town. What began as a simple, friendly visit soon turned into admiration... and for me, admiration deepened into something far more profound.

Our paths crossed again in Manila. I discovered reasons—some official, many personal—to pass by her workplace along Taft Avenue and her residence in Sampaloc. Casual conversations blossomed into meaningful exchanges. Polite visits turned into earnest courtship. Courtship grew into unwavering devotion. With each meeting, another thread was woven into the tapestry of our lives.

On our wedding day, 7th of May 1966, surrounded by family and friends, we stood before God at Lourdes Church in Mandaluyong City, promising a lifetime to each other. It was the beginning of a journey neither of us could fully imagine, but both of us wholeheartedly embraced.

The days became years, the years became decades. Together, the young lieutenant and the village lass built a life anchored in faith, strengthened by quiet sacrifices, and filled with shared dreams and enduring laughter. We were blessed with four children, who in time gave us twelve grandchildren, and now four precious great-grandchildren—each one a living testament to the love that began with a simple visit on an ordinary afternoon.

Now, sixty years later, our love story continues to unfold—strong, steady, and certain. Through seasons of challenge and celebration, we have walked side by side, hand in hand. And we have learned that sometimes, the smallest encounters lead to the greatest forever.