My ChiMples Wedding Vow

I started drafting my wedding vow five months before my wedding. Yes, as in 5 months. I was wondering how to write one. I knew I was not the writer-type, nor was I the mushy-type. I do not even have good memory. But I knew I was good in researching.

To start of my wedding vow writing activity, I gathered all the letters and cards that I gave Chino. I searched for quotable quotes and wrote them down in a scratch paper. From there, I started finding the flow of my vow. I just had to fill out the gaps between those verses I once wrote to him.

I started writing, but I was not able to finish in one sitting. When I felt I am no longer inspired, I stop. And when inspiration comes, I write again. I did this for a little over a week. And by the way, I was writing using a pen and yellow paper. I had to feel literally crossing out lines and inserting words.

During one of my fieldworks in Siargao, I was able to finish my wedding vow. I was so happy, I had to ask a friend to comment on it. It was a good thing that my evil twin sister Charmie was willing to read my wedding vow prior to the wedding. She helped me finalize the words. (Thanks, Charms!)

I would read my wedding vow over and over before the wedding. And each time, I would cry. That's when I realized that this vow is not just about the quotable quotes and the jokes. This is our story through my eyes and these are the promises to my lifetime partner. Until now, several months after our wedding, I still cry whenever I read this.

And I am gladly sharing this with you...

Chino, when I first met you, I did not realize how important you would become in my life. Akala ko, isa ka lang sa mga training participants naming FC (or “Feeling Close”). But eight years later, here I am, in front of you, hindi lang feeling close, but wanting to spend the rest of my life with you.

Before I met you, I thought my world had everything I needed to be happy. But then you came along and I realized, “hindi pala, I can be happier.” Many people spend their lives searching for their soulmate, their one true love, the person they can truly call their better half. And it’s very rare that people find their perfect match. I am happy to count myself among the lucky ones, because I found you. Sabi ko nga sa’yo, hindi applicable sa atin yung sinabi ni Tom Cruise. You do not complete me. You complement me…completely. We simply fit together.

We are a very dysfunctional couple, but I don’t mind because our dysfunctionality makes us unique and it’s what I like best in us. Sino bang mag-aakala na ‘yung long-time friend ko, na akala ko ay bading, at hinahatid ko pa sa bahay nila after magvideoke at magcoffee, ang siyang makakatuluyan ko?

But as they say, love is a decision. It’s a choice. And today, in front of our closest friends and family, I choose you. I choose you to be my best friend (with benefits, siyempre), my partner, my husband, and my family. I choose you in strength and in weakness. I choose you in health and in sickness. I choose you in joy and in sorrow. I choose you today and all the days of my life. I choose you because I love you.

I intend to love you, hold you, and grow very, very old with you. I love that you simply get me. I love how patient and understanding you are of all my loka-loka moments. I love that you can laugh with me or at me (well, mostly at me). I love that you and I can talk about anything under the sun. I love that we can be silent together (na take note, minsan lang mangyari), and the silence will still be comfortable. I love how you care for your family and give importance to your career, but you still manage to put me on top of your priorities. And yes, I love that you are clingy. I love everything I know about you, and I have the faith to trust what I do not know yet.

On this very special day, I can promise you a whole lot of things. I can promise to be the perfect wife (or husband). But I won’t. I can’t. Because somewhere along the way, I know that I will disappoint you, and you will disappoint me, because we are not perfect. I can only promise you one thing. I promise to make sure na bago kita awayin, I’ll check kung gutom lang ako.

Seriously, I will always be there for you -- someone to talk to, share things with, laugh with, and confide in. Someone to ask you how your day was and you’d be comfortable enough to share, without fear of ridicule and disinterest. Someone to cuddle. Someone to love. No promises. No assurances. Just me trying to be better for the both of us. I know that together, we will continue to grow and build a life far better than either of us could ever imagine alone.

I thank God for giving me you. You are my Po, my Green Lantern, my Papa Bear, the pudra of my junakays, my best friend, my lover, ang pinakamamahal ko. Chino, you are my once-in-a-lifetime, and I love you.

 Yun na! Pak!