In my last blog post, I shared my wedding vows as a sort of anniversary tribute. Sharing Moe’s this week:

Dearest Pia,

Thank you for being here today.

Perhaps only those who really know the both of us and are aware of what we’ve been thru will appreciate the weight of such a simple statement –

Thank you for being here today.

Because Lord knows I don’t inspire people to stay, and for those who happen to stay, I’m even harder to love. When I’m thoughtless, I’ll break my promises. And when I’m angry, I’ll break the rules. And sometimes, when I’m particularly selfish, I’ll break your heart.

So thank you for being here today.

And for showing up. And for saying yes. I will spend a lifetime earning that “Yes”. Because for a lady such as you, and a man such as me, that “yes” was improbable. Because to a few of your friends, and a few of mine, that “yes” seemed impossible. Because for a woman like you to settle for a man such as me, anything less would be unacceptable.

So forgive me if I get repetitive but I can’t help but thank you for being here today.

Because now I get to show you that staying was worth it. I get to earn my keep and to make good on promises that this time I won’t break.

Thank you for being here today.

Now that you’re here I get to tell you that I commit to provide for you – to feed you, clothe you, house you and offer you every basic need expected of a good provider. Even if it gets difficult. Even if it tends to run counter to the things I want. Your basic necessities and those of our family should and will come first.

Now that you’re here I get to tell you that I promise to make a home for you – whether it’s in Taytay in Rizal, or Quezon City, or the Subic Bay Freeport Zone, or any other liveable place imaginable, I will make you feel like you have a refuge with me. I will make you feel safe.

Now that you’re here, and so are your family and friends, I commit to love and take care of your family and your friends. Even if they don’t need to. Even if they don’t want me to. And even if they don’t necessarily approve of me. Because your family and friends matters a lot to you. And if it matters to you, it matters a lot to me.

Now that you’re here, I get to tell you that although I may not treat you like a princess, you will always be my queen.

Now that you’re here I get to tell you that I promise to make you happy. Or that at least I’ll try. And that I won’t stop trying. That I’ll always talk to you, laugh with you, drive for you, buy small illogically expensive things for you, go on trips with you, obsess on details with you, listen to you, take pictures with you, eat with you, and drink with you, and drink with you, and drink with you, cherish you, care for you, love you and to never tire in saying, over and over again –

Thank you for being here today.

I love you Pia. Let’s get married.

It’s been 3 years since we said these vows to each other. And people who have gone to the wedding have said how they were moved by these words (well, moved by Moe’s to be accurate; I was kind of  just the comic relief) and some even expressed how inspiring it was to witness how much we loved each other.

But now that the dust has settled, the more important question remains: Did we actually manage to keep our promises to each other? Or were they just words that were uttered for maximum audience impact?

In some ways, we’ve exceeded expectations. I have managed not only to provide adequately cooked rice, but also edible ulam to go with it. Moe has not only drank with me, drank with and drank with me, he has also made sure that we never ran out alcoholic beverages in the house. :p  (I have to say though , that in terms of exceeding expectations,  I win  hands down. Because Moe got carried away and promised a bunch of stuff. I was wise and kept my commitments to a reasonable amount. Tsk, tsk, he’s a lawyer-  he should have known better. :P).

But unfortunately, there also were a lot of times that we’ve not only broken our vows, but also each other’s hearts. Sad to say, there were instances where he remained selfish and prioritised his needs over our marriage. There were also moments when I lost  faith in him and have failed to support him.

But the most comforting and daunting thing about marriage is that it’s a lifetime commitment. It’s comforting because even if you screw up, you have the rest of your lives to make up for it. But it’s also daunting because, dude, it’s FOREVER, enough said.

No matter how difficult it is though, I’m glad to say that even if we faltered on details, we stayed true to our promise to love each other no matter what.

So to Moe, my ex boyfriend of 11 years and my husband of 3, happy anniversary! We may have failed to keep some of our personal vows to each other but it’s heartwarming to know, that despite obstacles, we’ve managed to stay faithful to the age-old marriage promise: For better or for worse; for richer or for poorer; in sickness and in health; ’til death do us part.

I love you right up to the moon and back!