You both…
   brought joy in our hearts
   beyond human comprehension,
painted a smile on our face
   that of which could reach our eyes;
mounted happiness into our system
   that couldn’t be leveled-off
rang laughter in our ears
   so closely that of angels
stretched a colorful hue in our world
   surpassing Van Gogh’s work of art;
stole hopelessness within us
   and transformed our perspective to optimism,
grabbed the selfishness in our souls
   recuperating the damaged fiber of our faith,
tied the tormenting past where it has to be
   delivering us to a renewed course,
relived the child in us
   forgiving… withholding nothing… loving…
And that is what we have to be…
   a prepared father…
   a prepared mother…
   responsible for the days to come
Because you, our children are gifts from God
   our most precious blessing…
for you both have opened the best in us
   as we would try to bring out the best in you
   journeying together in faith…
   and in love…

My babies, you both are our joy
our laughter and sunshine
our dream come true.
 
Babies, you brought us life
brought us inspiration
brought us strength and pride.
 
Babies, you are the gift
made possible by God
and the miracle of our love.
 
Bea, we shall embrace you
from twilight 'til dawn
from your birth 'til our death.
 
Gaby, we shall protect you
from the evils of the world
and dichotomies of this universe.
 
Bea, we shall guard you
from the harmful winds of time
and the sweet lies of temptation.
 
Gaby, we shall see you through
'til all your dreams
and your heart so desires come true.
 
Yes, our babies, Papa and Mama shall forever be here
right beside both of you
Papa and Mama loves you both so much…

Daylight penetrated
my shadowy life
rays of hope
came like prophets
angels descended for the good news
proclaiming love … found!

But doubt hovered
my heart filled with fear
for the doomed value of my youth
and the principles I broke;
for the love found for eternity
that shed light to this
abandoned spirit
I may have bridged over sorrow
and crossed the darkness of tunnels
I may have fought the inevitable
and lost the stupid game they call love
but then again, I hoped
and my prayer was granted
he accepted this scorned soul
and embraced the beleaguered woman in me.

Then vows were made
but hey! Were they from Heaven?
Do I deserve happiness?
Do I deserve love?
Do I deserve him?
He may be the one
he has to be the one
deep in this wounded heart
stream a music that was searching
for the right note to be struck,
so love would radiate
from the unknown crypt
where I once hid
 from the selfishness of my prey

Now the chains were broken
the burden was lifted up;
the love I was once just yearning for
 conquered the fear that blinded me,
and has brought me home
 from that of which I thought
 was my sarcophagus
 of no return
and now I have known
 what real happiness is.

 
Yes! It’s in the arms of my husband
 it’s in the warmth of his embrace
 it’s in the song of his silence
 it’s in the melody of his voice
 it’s in the solitude I have found in his gaze
 it’s in the music of his laughter
 it’s in the joy of his love
Yes! It’s in this man
 that I have found happiness in love 
at last!

Darkness… caves…
light… valleys and plains…
Where does this road lead me?
Rain poured… unexpectedly,
flood came, drowning my soul;
my heart pounding
eyes blurred with tears…
My mind traveling
way back…

Am I wrong?
Meeting love…
Meeting hatred…
Yet, chose to love again?
I came across sorrow in happiness,
I felt pain in love…
But I never learned!

Now, I wallow in misery… again.
Was it I?
Was it you?
Wasn’t it right for us?
I tried to understand
I know you gave your best, too.
Perhaps it was love.
Perhaps it wasn’t.
Or still, time wasn’t right
that you and I would be…

Wandering… I came to a stop,
“Do I love you?”
I listened…
“I’m no longer sure
as I was before.”
Was it because of pride?
I don’t know.
Then I let go…

Disguising myself…
I smile.
I laugh.
Thinking…
Oh! We really would never be!

Asking myself…
When would happiness
be real happiness
not pain clothe in joy;
When will love
be endless and true love?
Only heaven knows!

Hoping… wishing…
praying hard, too…
that in the right time
in a right place
with the right person
…I’ll find happiness in love…

The meeting …
… eyes met
… but there was vastness
… ambivalence penetrated …

The friendship …
… cared for
… and held tightly in heart
…yet hands off
… though spirits are connected …

The barrier …
… somebody was there
… feelings at stake
… thinking of the other
… but loving you still
… owning me …

The opening …
… thanks for texting
… then the dare
… undressed the pride
… turning to reality
… our dreams of yesterday
… unclothing our feelings …

The commitment …
… now it’s you and I
… thoughts wider in scope
… feelings deeper in core
… love not in question
… for it didn’t stop in the heart
… it included the mind
… it enclosed the spirit …

The love story …
My love story …
Your love story …
No longer mine and yours …
But ours …

Our Love Story …
… together …
… in happiness and in pain
… in sickness and in health
… ‘til death do us part …

Memories… painful?
Second chance… what for?
Memories… blissful?
Second chance… would it be worth it?

The past…
It came creeping
…down to the present;
Intertwined…
…with what there is.

Silhouette of the man…
Shadows of the past…
Forget me or
Forget me not…
Forgotten!

Ah! I’m here.
You’re from beyond.
A memory from the past…
…the shadow.
The present…
…my future,
No longer you…
…too late…

Memories seem to farce.
Too far to remember.
Less painful to forgive.
Your world,
isn’t my world;
And so is mine
it can never be yours.

For the present
isn’t the past.
and the future
will never be the shadow.
You belong to the past
the shadow
too hazy to haunt me.
My present…
My future…
No longer you…
…too late…

I traveled.
I walked.
I ran.
I stumbled down,
But I rose.

I met happiness.
I met pain.
But above all,
I met you; who
Both gave me happiness
and pain.

I laughed.
I cried.
I loved.
I hated.

There was love; But
there was hatred.
There was passion; But
there was anger.

But above all,
there was you; who
both made me laugh
and cry…
made me love
and hate.

Dichotomies of life
I have known;
Man is born
to rest and work
to smile and cry
to live and die
to love and hate.

Now I walk.
I run.
I gather the pieces
of shattered dreams
of a bruised ego
of a broken heart
of an amputated spirit
of an aching soul
Healing… Me!

For after pain…
forgiveness;
After tears…
laughter,
After hatred…
love…And after death
comes new life.
Building… a new Me!

I start my journey
carrying a smile
carrying strength
carrying wisdom
carrying hope…
hope that soon…
soon in this life
I’d meet reality
…real laughters
…real joy
…real peace
…real love.

For I am new
And it’s all because of
You.

Time is untouched
water left unsurfed;
but darkness reveals
the sanctuary of souls…

Space untravelled
Einstein unknown;
but silence reveals
the most passionate of feelings…

Destiny unsearched
purpose undiscovered;
but vastness reveals
the Only truth there is…

Through darkness
there came light
through silence
a song was heard
through vastness
born was the universe
All of which…
GOD revealed Himself…