By Jan Vicente B. Pekas
“No man is an island.” One of the many lessons I learned from all the Christian schools I attended in the past. We were not made to go through life alone. Whether a partner or a friend, we must always find someone who can stand beside us. Through thick and thin, hardship and glory, a companion must always be present. Always there to pick us up when we’re down, and share a drink with us when we celebrate. Unfortunately, we are not blessed with a sixth sense to seek out our special someone. No map to locate them, and no GPS to track them. Only by going through life will we have the opportunity to meet that special someone.
Yet, when February comes around the corner, love seemingly blooms in full. Affections between couples double, much to the dismay of us single men. Whether it was an effect from cupid’s arrows or simply the environment, love heats up the cold nights of that month. Luckily for others, a double blanket does the job just fine. Helping us all to sleep through the cold winds. And keeping us warm enough until the months with much more friendly climate arrive.
Now, the month of April is nearing its end, with merely a week left. The month has brought us much needed sunshine, but the rains did not miss its beat in damping the mood. The children are starting to go back to their classrooms. And returning tourists are here to join us in enjoying the post lockdown conditions of Baguio City.
Still, April seems to continue in bringing more excitement. From family to acquaintances, the people around me seem to have decided on the same month to tie the knot. Weddings are popping up left and right. Vows are being taken or given. Grand ceremonies taking place. A lot of pigs are being put on plates. I expect the smell of alcohol to float through the winds of Baguio. Lots of stories will certainly be told in obnoxiously loud voices along with horribly smelling breaths. But I’m sure the camp fires will make the experiences a little less unbearable.
And the stories being told would make the events wonderful and long-lasting memories. Both for the drunks and the sober. And when fists go flying, that would make the experiences even more exciting.
Nevertheless, in a wedding two lives, each was separated from the other before, now are bound together. One pledges to the other, and their love and promises are witnessed by the people.
A marriage may not be perfect. Bumps and hiccups may be met by a newly-wed down the line. Some arguing here and there may wake the neighbors. But, to me, a marriage that survives through decades is as beautiful as a grand old castle. Each day that passes, we learn a lot from living in the same household. For old marriages teach us, the young, what we should show in front of our children in the future.
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