⏳ From the Journals: September 2, 2016
It was September 1, 2016. My children walked through my room’s door that evening carrying a bouquet of flowers.
The card tucked inside read:
Mommy,
HAPPY ANNIVERSARY! LOVE YOU ALWAYS!
❤️ Daddy 😊
And… Noknok & Ji, Ningning & JC, Tenten, Yeye
I wasn’t expecting it at all because my children had already greeted me earlier in the day. It was our 31st wedding anniversary—and my second one navigating the day without Rey.
There was no celebration. There was no dinner out. I just stayed home—perhaps a little sad, but not to wallow.
I had planned to sing "What Matters Most" while playing the keyboard as my anniversary gift to Rey and to myself. But when the moment came, only the piano keys played.
My heart knew every single word. My voice simply could not follow.
Even when grief silenced my voice, I took comfort knowing that God never stopped hearing my heart.
______________________________________________
And for years, the date simply became an ordinary day. My children’s simple greetings—with or without flowers—were more than enough for me.
Until eight years later. I didn’t know it then, but something inside me was about to shift.
⏳ From the Journals: September 8, 2024
I wrote these words in my journal:
About last night, Sept. 7, a week after our 39th… 💗
Sa totoo lang, hindi naman talaga naging uso sa amin ang pagkakaroon ng theme song. We just both really liked one song, so one day I declared, “That song will be our theme song.” Rey was always so easy to talk to! 😅 He said yes immediately!
Pero sa totoo lang ulit, we weren’t exactly like the quiet couple described in the lyrics. In high school, we were best friends, both playful, joyful, friendly, and had our own worlds. Just the same, my memory stubbornly told me that this was our "theme song." 😉
We had never actually sung this song together, not even during casual family karaoke or videoke nights. But last night, maybe God finally gave me the courage to sit down, play, and sing a short version of “When I Met You”.
Nagpilit ang boses ko! 😂 And I made the accompaniment based on the specific chords my voice could comfortably handle. 😁______________________________________________
Eight long years after that night when I could only play the keys of another song, I finally sang our song out loud. Even if my voice was flawed and imperfect, I’m glad it followed my heart.
🕊️🎹🎙️✨
