A Moment Visit to our 46-year Tryst

What would be a feeling to recall the momentous event in our life that had transpired 46 years ago when my high school sweetheart and I were together along the seawall.

I remember 46 years ago today that it was almost twilight and I noticed that sun was about to set. The horizon was crimson red and the seawall where we stood was freely splashed by a rushing sea water from the peaceful municipality of Valladolid, 31 kilometers (19 mi) south of Bacolod City, the capital city of Negros Occidental!

We were seventeen years old then and we were third year high school. I was a pioneer student of La Carlota City High School and my sweetheart was a junior high transferee student from Saint Vincent Ferrer High School in La Castellana, Negros Occidental.

The first time I met her she was too mysterious. For that mystique attitude she manifested, my curiosity was tapped and I wanted to discover her unique personality. And the rest was one of its kind love story ever happened to us and why and why we were meant for each other.

Lovers Again After 46 Years

Gil and Rebing, Best Couple of the Night

Several LDS couples and singles joined the post Valentine's night sponsored by the Relief Society of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in simple but memorable program at the meetinghouse of La Carlota District.

Every couple was treated special. Each was seated in a well-furnished table with wonderful place mats, beautiful piece of flower, complete with table napkins and eating utensils.

While the singles had their set of tables with complete furnishings too.

The night for the couples and the singles was so lovely and romantic because of the appropriate setting which was properly prepared.

Gil Giving Red Rose to Rebing

Couple's Time

The couples were given enough time to converse each other as if they were on their courting period when they were still teenagers before.

My wife and I were recollecting our old, memorable lovely and romantic experiences. We were talking about our favorites from foods, movies, songs. And also we were discussing about our misunderstanding and how we were able to resolve and mend it for reconciliation.

My Wife Has Still My 43-year old Love Letter

43-year-old Love Letter

Love is still fresh within us. We keep it fresh everyday from the very day that we tied knots sometime in 1972.

We got married without any penny in our pocket. We were just married by a City judge with a handful of teachers as witnesses.

Out of 41 years of married life, we were able to survive the various difficult challenges in our life since I put up my family of my own.

The greatest turn of the event of our life was realized sometime in the year 1980 when I found the truth of being the spirit child of God. And until now I nurture that opportunity of being me and being a servant of the Lord with a hope that my wife and my whole family will be together for time and eternity.

This month of February, we always remember of lovely and romantic the day especially Valentine's day. It has a great part of getting us together and be one in the new and everlasting covenant of our marriage.

This is the month that my wife met at the high school campus. And this is the month when I stole a first kiss of my high school sweetheart who is now my present wife.

How Did I Court My Wife in High School?

It was sometime in 1968 when I met my wife in an open study hall where we used to hold our music class under Miss Mercy Parroco in La Carlota City High School. She drifted to the said hall to take shelter for a sudden afternoon rain that fell unexpectedly.

Gil and Rebecca at the Mabolo Tree 2011

I came to know her from Mila Tapales, her classmate who was my neighbor and lived just across San Agustin Street, La Carlota City where I lived.

I was attracted to her mysterious actuation and to her lovely black long hair. I surmised that it was probably due to the adjustment period she faced for she's a third-year high school transferee from Saint Vincent Ferrer Academy, a private Catholic High School in La Castellana, Negros Occidental.

Our friendship grew and edified as we used to meet at the flagpole just across the facade of high school main building where we held our literature class under Mrs. Angeles Garin and where they had their community class too in one of the rooms there.

Why Three Daisies?

In 1968, that was forty-four years ago, I still remember my first visit to my wife when we were still friends and wanting to court her. I was perplexed why she gave me three African daisies. Anyway, read the following an  unforgettable incidence I had had:

Three African Daisies

Second Meeting

In one school day, I saw again the girl whom I met for the first time at the high school campus buying an ice cream from a "sorbetero" (ice cream roller vendor). I came over to her and smiled and greeted her. She smiled at me back. I broke her silence by asking where she lives. She replied, "I live in the Barrio site of La Granja." I nodded and silently noted it.

"Wouldn't you mind if I visit you this coming Saturday?"

How To Steal a Kiss and Have a Sleepless Night

I remember 44 years ago how I stole a kiss from my high school sweetheart and didn't sleep for the whole night.

It was in the month of February that this unforgettable experience happened. I was in my third year high school and I belong to a section 1, while my sweetheart belong to the last section for she was a transferee from St. Vincent High School, a Catholic private school in La Castellana, Negros Occidental.

Two-Teenage Lovers

That red day was February 28, the annual patron festival of Valladolid, Negros Occidental, just a 15-kilometer from our place, La Carlota City. Most of the students in our high school used to skip classes to attend fiesta. But I was not used to it. However, just after lunch, Rebecca, my sweetheart suggested to go to Valladolid for some of her classmates were already there. I wouldn't go instead for I wasn't used to skip classes. However, I didn't want to fail her, so I'd to allow her to go. But I thought she was alone. Besides her home was far, a 9-kilometer from the school. Therefore I decided to accompany her. We went together. We took a passenger jeep from the "paradahan" (terminal) near the market place.

Why Did I Compose a Song?

It was in May 20, 1970 when I wrote and composed my first amateur song entitled "My Singing Doll." And I rediscovered it sometime last week when I was cleaning my dust-filled bookshelves. Then I stumbled upon an old, crumpled brown envelop. I didn't mind it for awhile what's in it. I put it aside then continued my work.

While I was about to finish dusting off the shelves, I took a glanced with the said envelop. Nothing of interest, just curious about it, I opened and checked inside and this is what I saw:

"My Singing Doll"

This was the product of my amateur interest in music. I loved to sing since I was a grade six pupil. I used to sing the popular song of The Beatles, "A World Without Love." I didn't have any idea what was it all about. I just kept on singing it. Until I realized that some of these lyrics were predestined of what I had composed for my high school sweetheart.

The unforgettable lyrics of the said pop song:

           "So I wait, and in a while
           I will see my true love smile 
           She may come, I know not when..."

Yes that was 1966, four years later that I composed the song for that mysterious girl. Then after 2 years we got married. We were meant for each other.

No Penny, When I Get Married

Manila Philippines Temple

I remember 40 years ago today when I was married with my high school sweetheart even a single centavo in my pocket I didn't have. I was 21 years old then, and still studying in college taking course in commerce. I was still dependent from my parents for I was the youngest.

With such teenage marriage, I never realized how could I able to support my own family soon when I've one. What I was thinking that I've loved my sweetheart. We were meant for each other. "I Need You In My Life" , our theme song, was appropriate for our undying love story.

Why October 13, 1951?

Gil and Rebecca in 1969

Sometime in 1968 when I was then a third year student of La Carlota City High School, one afternoon, I had just finished attending my music class in the study hall when the rain began to fall. While all of my classmates rushed to the Science Hall building to take shelter for the study hall is open, no walls and only improvised board and benches were there, I was left all alone. In this solicitude, I noticed a girl of my age took shelter in the same place where I was stranded. I took a glimpse of the girl who was carrying some notebooks, books, and a magazine. To break the silence and being curious, I attempted to borrow the magazine from her. But before doing that, I took momentarily a deep, long breath while turning back from her to get rid of my nervousness. Just on time to get back to her, I found her gone unnoticed.

Rebecca and Gil in 2011

Predestined

Many days and months passed. When I was about to attend our Mathematics class in the extension building just across the back of the main building of the school, I saw the girl, whom I guessed the same girl I had seen lately in the study hall. She was heading toward me where I was standing. I spotted a magazine from her hand and what a coincidence the same magazine she had last time I first met her. Meeting her again I was brightened up for she was with my neighbor, Mila Tapales. I greeted Mila hello with a little shame. I bargained with Mila if she could request her companion to let me borrow her magazine. Assured by Mila that we were neighbors and nothing will happen to her magazine, the girl lent it to me. Alas! We were not introduced to each other for both of us were in a hurry to catch with our classes.