After being able to watch Season 2 of a popular Netflix series "Sex Life", I realized and proved that choosing the person to marry is indeed the most important choice that a person must make. And not only that, choosing to stay in a marriage amidst all the challenges is a decision that a married person makes every day of his or her life.

For those who have not watched this series yet, Sex Life Season 1 shows how a fantasy of a seemingly happily-married woman destroys her marriage and family. It follows the story of Billie, who starts a journal that chronicles the details of the intimate relationship she had with her ex-boyfriend Brad, and upon Billie's husband's discovery of the said journal, their marriage suffers and ultimately crumbles to the brink of a divorce settlement.

The tangling stories of the characters particularly Billie continue in Season 2, allowing her to finally make the decision to choose the man she truly loves, Brad. However, Brad is now committed to a model who is pregnant with their first child. Billie decides to move on and finally meet new people. While in the process of divorce, Billie and her husband Cooper set loose beyond the boundaries that their marriage has limited them, with both of them enjoying other partners and co-parenting their two kids. Ultimately, their divorce is finalized, and they are able to pursue the people whom they truly love and want to spend the rest of their lives with. In short, it was still a happy ending. At least for most people who are in favor of divorce and annulment.

But for most of us here in the Philippines, I know that we still belong to the traditionalists who would prefer to safeguard and protect our marriage against all odds. And so while I was entertaining myself watching the episodes, I was able to prove to myself that divorce and co-parenting will not work for me. I realized that with this conviction, I need to do everything with all my mind and strength to work hard to sustain my marriage, and stay committed to the person whom I call my husband.

On this same date thirteen years ago, I made the BIGGEST decision in my life---and that is to marry my boyfriend for 9 years. Just like other couples, we are not perfect, and we have made some mistakes in the past. But one thing that I do appreciate so much about our bond is that I believe that the long years of our togetherness, which spans 22 years already (more than half of my life, actually!) has made us grow stronger together that just like the scenes in the Netflix series, some familiar places, scents, and random things may already be associated with the memories shared with this same person that it cannot be made more special if it will be shared with someone else.

Yes, I am no hypocrite to say that I haven't had at least a small ounce of regret when thinking about this choice of marrying him, but I also think that God has given me the person who will fit me perfectly. As they say, a married couple is two imperfect people made perfect together by their love and commitment. I think that while sexual love may not endure, it is the longing for that person who knows you even without saying a word or having that itching feeling to tell your spouse at the end of the day the things that you were thinking about the whole day, defines what a lasting loving commitment is all about.

On this day, I honor God because he allowed me to find my soulmate and give me new reasons to endure the joys and pains of being married to a loving husband and father to our kids. On this day, I am renewed by the feeling of contentment and perseverance to keep fighting for our marriage and our family and stay focused on the things that are certainly important in our life. With God, I believe that we can always try our hardest to remain constant as the years vanish away the youth and vigor that we once shared. Together, we know that we can look forward to our gray hair together and the happiness that our future grandchildren will give us. Cheers to 13, 22, and more!