Diamond is forever

February is really a very special month not only because it is the month when we celebrate love particularly on Valentine’s Day (Feb. 14) and perhaps to a certain extent, on February 25 when we commemorate the miraculous people power revolution of 1986 which is indeed a manifestation of the Filipinos’ love of God and country and of their countrymen. But for me and my family, this month is more special because it is both a celebration of love and life as we commemorated yesterday (Feb. 26), the birthday of Josefina Victorina also known as Josie, my one and only partner “in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health till death do us part.”

Feb. 26 in this year of our Lord was more special because it marked the diamond birth anniversary of Josie. We got married 51 years ago and since then, the two of us have been celebrating her birthday together under varying conditions and under all kinds of circumstances, but always full of joy and gratitude to God who is Love and who gave us life. 

Josie was only 24 years old when I won her heart and took her as my partner for the rest of our earthly sojourn towards eternal life. But through all these years she does not appear to be getting older, but only growing in age and wisdom.  Indeed at 75, Josie can be considered to have reached the passing grade in the school of life which will be getting higher and higher as the years go by.

One of the pleasant and somewhat providential realizations that dawned on me after our marriage is her first name, “Josefina.” This name is evidently the female counterpart of my own first name, “Jose.” And such coincidence is obviously the very reason why we indeed complete and complement each other in our married life. She got a bachelor’s degree in physical education and was a member of the prestigious FEU Dance Group which garnered several awards abroad and then subsequently became its dance directress. I got a Bachelor of Laws degree and became a lawyer completely absorbed in my law books and law practice. Since she is fond of dancing while I am more concerned about constantly improving my knowledge of the law, we humorously tell our friends that she is my “attorney” in the dance floor while I am her attorney in the courtroom.

We got married more than 51 years ago when I was 26 years old and she was 24. Thus we have spent more years of our lives together and have sailed our conjugal ship through turbulent seas and stormy weathers but somehow managed to reach safely back to the shore. Like all marital unions, ours also have some rocky episodes. Through them all however our relationship has remained solid and seems to be getting stronger and stronger. And this is because we are becoming more and more romantic each day as we approach the sunset of our life.

Our relationship has indeed been rocky sometimes and this is admittedly because I am more exposed and more vulnerable to temptations especially in my work where passions of septuagenarians like me can still be easily inflamed. Yet I manage to overcome them because Josie somehow served as my shield so that I may not easily yield. Truly I can say that Josie can still satisfy the needs and desires that still arouse and force me to take a second or third look at young and pretty women.

Indeed Josie does not easily give up on me and is always open for reconciliation and readily forgives or begs for pardon when called for. This is the main reason for our durable relationship. Our channels of communication are always open, thus enabling us to empathize with each other’s feelings and to hear and to listen not only to the words coming out of our lips but also to the unspoken intimations deep within, and emanating from our hearts. We engage in dialogue where we are more concerned with our feelings instead of discussing and arguing with each other where we use only our reasons and judgments. 

And so as we enter into the sunset of our lives we try to look back and see that we also enjoyed our life together with our six children (one girl and five boys). We really enjoyed helping each other in rearing them into becoming responsible adults and later having families of their own, except our only daughter Joyce who embraced the religious life and has already been called by God to be with him in eternal bliss at the young age of 39 years.

Josie also makes it a point to accompany me in social gatherings of my friends in civic organization and in my profession. She likewise asks me to join her in the parties and affairs of her friends and associates. Being constantly seen together, our friends and acquaintances wonder aloud every time they see any one of us alone.

Seldom is there a dull moment in our life now even if all our children have left us and are living in their own homes with their own families because we have a weekly family gathering in our house with our children and grandchildren. Actually Josie looks forward to this gathering even more not because she wants to be a baby sitter to our young grandchildren, but because she has the chance to pass on to them her artistic talents in music and dancing. 

I am now certain that our conjugal partnership will last till death do us part because Josie is my constant companion and steady support in fostering a healthy and strong family life, in promoting an active social life, in having a successful professional life and most importantly in developing a deep and devout spiritual life.

She has truly become a precious diamond worth keeping for the rest of my life.

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