THE sun shone the brightest on that day and inside a church, a couple sat side by side on two chairs placed before the altar while reciting their vows to each other. They then put a ring on each other’s left ring finger. The groom proudly threw a kiss on the bride. The spectators watched in awe as they flashed their smiles while some couldn’t help but spill some tears.
Oftentimes, we would hear the phrase “Walang forever” when people are discussing about relationship. This might be the case for some people but this does not apply to Edmundo Corpuz and Esperanza Latoza-Corpuz.
My grandparents’ 60th wedding anniversary happened last June 2, 2016. For the Corpuz’s third generation, this was the second wedding we have witnessed after their 50th wedding anniversary.
The story of “forever” began when Edmundo, also known as “Ed,” a forester, travelled to Davao City from Pangasinan City. One Christmas eve, he visited a co-worker who was admitted at a hospital along with a friend.
Esperanza, who is more fondly called as “Ching” by friends, also travelled from Iloilo City to work as nurse in Davao City. She was assigned as a graveyard nurse in the same hospital that Ed visited.
While on duty that night, she noticed Ed past the station she was assigned at and told her co-nurse: “That guy must be a part of the Philippine Army since he walks with his head held high and he has straight posture.”
Days passed and Ed’s co-worker had fully recovered. Ed and his two other friends brought “pancit” to Ching and her co-nurse as a token of gratitude for their care. “You were the army man I saw during Christmas Eve,” Ching said as she approached Ed. Oblivious and surprised as he was, Ed was not sure how to respond to Ching’s remarks since it was the first time he had met the lady.
Ed liked Ching very much and he started courting her. He made her swoon with his love letters written in cursive with clean and beautiful strokes. Ching reciprocated his feelings for she admired his patience and smartness. He is her first boyfriend.
On dates, they would eat in restaurants and meet with friends. Their favorite hobby is watching movies – and they love to go to Lawaan, an old cinema house situated along Claveria Street.
Both were conservative as a couple. As Ching would recall, the only gesture Ed had done to her was to kiss her forehead.
After two years of dating, they finally walked the aisle of marriage and were blessed with two lovely children – Joseph Cristy and Regina Cristina. Each has grown into mature and wise adults.
Marriage is not an easy path to take. Partners have to stay true to their promise to love another in sickness and health. In June 2015, Ed’s lungs degenerated which complicated some of his body parts. He was admitted in the hospital for at most three weeks. Ching had stayed by his side and always volunteered to be his watcher. Those days were tough for the family. The heavens heard our prayers as Ed was healed from all his infirmities. With God’s grace, his health is currently stable.
Right now, Ed is graceful at an age of 86 and Ching at 87. The only funny thing they are fighting about is how Ed would request for a lugaw cooked by Ching in the middle of the night just to fill his stomach.
Both of their lives might not be eternal but the bond and love they are still sharing to the family are. Forever, indeed, does exist for Edmundo and Esperanza. (Kristine Therese Corpuz Nebrija)