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Monday, August 14, 2006
The beauty and sanctity of marriage
By Abigail Chee kee-Malalis
"AT THE beginning God made man and woman...And for this reason, a man shall leave his father and mother and be united with his wife and they will become one flesh. Therefore, what God has joined together...let no one separate them. (Mt. 19: 4-6)
Just a couple of weekends ago, my hubby and I chance to have attended the Weekend Worldwide Marriage Encounter (WWME) at the retreat house of the Carmelite Sisters at Camaman-an this city.
The Weekend Worldwide Marriage Encounter (WWME) is a weekend design to give married couples the opportunity to spend a weekend together. It is a positive and personal experience, which offers us a technique of loving communication that can be used for the rest of our lives. It is an opportunity to look deeply into our relationship with each other and with God. It also gives us time to share our feelings, fears, joys, hopes and dreams.
It is not a retreat, a marriage clinic, a group sensitivity training or a problem-solving weekend. It's a unique approach aimed at revitalizing our marriage. It is a weekend focusing more on the one we love most, our spouse.
During the weekend, you and your spouse will rediscover each other and together, focus on your relationship which every marriage deserves such kind of attention.
Fr. Gerry Truno, a diocesan priest and our team priest from Dumaguete together with the three-team couple, were the presenters during the weekend.
We were invited three times by Mel and Jean Enterina through their daughter, Jayjay. I've really seen the excitement and emphatic face of Jayjay as she kept on telling me the wonders and the beauty of WWME it gives the married couple (as base on what she saw from her parents). I and Jong always thought that we have the "almost" perfect state of marriage, that we have shared a wonderful love, that our relationship, which has the foundation of a strong and solid friendship, can surpass any turmoil life has there to offer.
So why attend such kind of weekend? We have our own priorities to attend to, our jobs were at the utmost priority since we always struggle to make both ends meet. We thought it would just be one of those couple enrichment seminars that are just meant for those whose marriage are on the brink of separation or confusion.
But Jayjay, without giving up on inviting us, finally caught our qualmness. Jong and I decided to give it a try. After all, it will be a very rare opportunity for us to have absolute time for each other (since we almost forgot to have enough time for the two of us).
Upon arrival at the retreat house, we were very anxious and were surprised on the set-up. We were assigned to our own room (and take note...just the two of us, sort of a honeymoon). We were excited of what has been stored for us. There were five couples, including us (out of the 20 who confirmed), who responded to the invitation of WWME.
What Jong and I thought would just be one of those couple enrichment seminar proved to be otherwise. Through the series of presentation in the whole weekend, we realized a lot of imperfection and frailties in our much-admired marriage. Before joining the weekend, I have in my mind two extreme feelings which I thought will result in our joining the WWME...it is either our relationship will be more strengthened or realizations will arise which will result to a more complicated feelings and situation. But then, I was overwhelmed with what it made us as couple. We saw the weekend as a gift and a blessing to us (Jayjay was really an instrument in enlightening our relationship... thanks kaayo, jay).
Among those who responded the Batch 31 WWME were the couples Angelo and Violeta Taguba, Robert and Minerva Winstanley, Avelino and Annie Ellarina, Ariel and Rosalina Tatad, Juanito and Abigail Malalis. The team couples were Edgar and Anita Dangazo, Gerardo and Lourdes Abadies, Ceasar and Isolde Mendoza.
The Worlwide Marriage Encounter is the most successful and dynamic marriage enrichment in the world today. It started in the United States in 1968. Today, more than two million couples in over 36 countries have experienced the beauty and the gift of their Weekend. It is really worth passing on to other couples. I believe that a couple's well-nourished love will result into becoming a wonderful parents and it will eventually shine to the community where you live in and part of. As the adage goes: A good mother/father does not really mean you're a good spouse, but once the couple has in their hearts the true and deep meaning of love and has lived by it, they will naturally become good parents as well. And once that love is being shared to the family, rest assured that peace and harmony will linger in your home always.
(August 14, 2006 issue)
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