Today is Mom and Dad’s wedding anniversary. They were married exactly 40 years ago in a lowly church in the sleepy town of Macalelon, Quezon. My mom was five months pregnant then with Ate Ethel. As I saw it in their lone wedding picture, nothing is grandiose about this very important event in their life. My mom is just wearing a simple knee-length white gown and a white veil while dad is sporting a simple barong tagalog. Dad is three years younger than mom. And according to her, he was a fine-looking man during his younger years.
The relationship went on smoothly, with of course some ups and downs in their lives. They yielded 5 children, the second and the fourth died when they were still babies, while the middle child was taken away when she was 21 years old after being involved in a freak vehicular accident. The writer is the youngest, born after 13 years of marriage.
Life was difficult then. The couple lived in a literal bahay-kubo made of pawid, anahaw and kawayan. I was very young then, I don’t understand poverty yet. The couple, who are teachers by profession, augment their monthly income by selling ice candy, mani, yema, and ceramics to pupils and co-workers. My dad is also engaged in coconut farming.
Soon life became better to them. My dad’s 1960s motorcycle was changed to an owner-type jeepney. We transferred to a more decent house, now made of concrete and galvanized iron. They were able to send Ate Ethel to College in Manila, and Ate Mhy, though she wasn’t able to finish her college studies, landed a good job in a multinational company.
Prosperity continued, but took away some important lives. Ate Mhy died unexpectedly in a vehicular accident in C5 Makati. And my mom followed her after a year. I was fifteen then.
Life went on for me, my sister, and dad. Dad met another woman who never left him when he suffered from two consecutive brainstrokes. Ate Ethel is happily married, with two grown up kids, the eldest is about to graduate from college. And here I am, a struggling college educator who has, somehow, made a name in the field of communication education.
They were not as fortunate as other couples who have seen their gold or diamond anniversaries. But this is one relationship that I know will leave a lasting legacy to the lives of the people they have touched in some ways.
Happy Anniversary, Mr. and Mrs. Cantal!
