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A Love Story

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I never heard the parents address each other by their names.  They also didn't refer to each other by name when they talked about the other. The Mama would just say lakai which was old man in Ilocano, while the Daddy would say baket for old lady.

For many years, I wondered if they even loved each other. When I became curious about how they met, they said they had an arranged marriage.

The Daddy said, "Your grandmother said she liked the daughter who lived next door for me. 'Okay,' I told her."

The Mama said, "My mother said to marry your daddy. 'He's a good man. You're old. This may be your last chance to marry.'"

Both the Mama and the Daddy lost their fathers at a young age. So, it was their mothers who met and discussed the terms of the dowry. Several weeks later, the Mama and the Daddy were married.

It was not until I went to the Philippines with the Daddy in the early 1970s that I heard the love story.

In 1947, the Daddy, who became a U.S. citizen after serving the U.S. Army, decided to visit the Philippines. It had been 19 years since he left.  He thought about marrying the girlfriend he left behind if she was still single. She was not.

A few days after the Daddy had been home, he went down to the well that bordered his mother's property and that of the Mama's mother's.  It was late in the afternoon. As he approached the well, he saw a young woman.

"It was like a lightening bolt," said the uncle who told me the story. The Daddy was in love with the Mama instantly.

The Daddy went to his mother and said, "I met the neighbor's daughter.  I want to marry her."

Years later, the Mama told me how she had received marriage proposals before the Daddy asked her. Although her mother liked the men, she did not. "They could not make me," the Mama said. One proposal was from the Mayor's son. The Mama did not like his mother. "She would have treated me like a servant."

The Mama's and the Daddy's wedding was a big-to-do. Both of them came from a large family, including siblings, uncles, aunties, cousins, and more cousins. 

"Everyone danced all night," said the Mama about the reception. "The party went on for three days."

I can just imagine. The Daddy loved a good party. So does the Mama, once she's there.


Comments

  1. This is a beautiful story and well told--I read it twice. :) I love the wedding photo!

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    1. Thank you, Colleen. :-) I appreciate the visit.

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  2. What a beautiful story. Look at that handsome couple and your Mother is gorgeous. That dress, too, is the perfect dress. What a neat story and to think they were in love anyway or hadn't the mama seen your father yet.
    I really believe in arranged marriages but seems like I'm the only one in the planet who does. When her mother said that the mother of the other man would treat her like a servant..... it takes an older woman to be able to see these things.
    Great post

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    1. Thanks, Manzanita.
      The Mama was still a young child when the Daddy left for Hawaii. 15 years difference in age between them. His younger sisters were her playmates though....It was the Mama who believed the mayor's son's ma would treat her poorly. The Mama's mother was all for the marriage.

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  3. There's never just one side to a story ... I'm loving travelling through your history with this series.

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    1. It's funny how the family history just decided to take over the blog. :-)

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  4. i absolutely love this! and, what a beautiful picture. i'm visiting for the A-Z. here's my H: http://smhasty.blogspot.com/2013/04/26-books-that-changed-my-life-8-little.html

    i'm a little behind

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    1. Thanks, Stephanie. I shall come by in a second.

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  5. As I started reading I wondered if you were giving words in a Filipino language! I couldn't believe it! What a fantastic love story and such a great tale of arranged marriages too!

    Hope you are enjoying the A to Z Challenge as much as I am! It is a great way to both tell some of our tales and find other great blogs. You can find me at http://janiceperson.com

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    1. Thank you. I've met some wonderful bloggers and read a wide range of blogs in the A to Z. To think it's only half over.

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  6. This is such an uplifting story - No Wonder you are so unique - It's as if your Life Story was touched by Magic.

    Thank you for sharing, thank you for nominating my blog, Thank you for being Your Amazing Self.
    -g-

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    1. I like your take, Maggid: "touched by Magic" It's like a happy swirl went through my body. :-)

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  7. I am playing catch up today on blog reading. What a very lovely story about your parents and their love story! Def enjoyed reading!

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  8. Susie, a love story for the ages. Full of life and rich of heart. Thank you for sharing.

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  9. Susie, a love story for the ages. Full of life and rich of heart. Thank you for sharing.

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Thanks for the good cheer. :-)

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