'ma | 
06 21st, 2005| 
I can’t believe it’s been 23 years when our lives became one and its seemed like it was only yesterday that I was sitting on my parent’s bed looking at the gown I am supposed to wear, staring at my shoes and deciding if I am wearing stockings with it — it was supposed to be a traditional wedding where the bride is supposed to wear something old (my mom’s earrings which was supposed to be from my lola), something new (my new bra), something borrowed (my mom’s pendant) and something blue (my panties)… but there was nothing traditional about how it came about to be.
He and I met under the most unusual circumstances - my parents would not allow my siblings to go out after staying late the night before that they had to use me as an excuse after assuring me that I would not be left out of place with their group. He happened to be the compromise chaperone who was supposed to accompany me so I would not be left all alone and that one time led to another invariable excuses to go out together as a group until we found ourselves going out even without the group…
Many other circumstances led to another, until finally I had to tell him not to see me again because of the ugly rumors flying about in a small community like ours. I do not know why, but probably the thought of severing ties with me made him think of what he really wanted out of our relationship… and so 23 years after here we are still trying to figure out what more we want out of our relationship with all the joys and tears, the laughter and the fears, the trials and the triumphs, all of which became part of who we are and what we are right now… I just hope that all the time we’ve spent together, we have gained more reasons to be with each other for another 23 years more…