Mauie Flores

An article of the same title by Andrea Pasion-Flores in the November 2006 issue of Good Housekeeping Philippines inspired me to write my own view on this matter.

Daddyjun and I have been married for six years. We will be having our 7th Wedding Anniversary on January 15, 2007. That would be, as everyone warned me, the official start of the "7th Year Itch". Scary. But I'm excited to go through it and survive it! Yeah, that's the spirit!Why do I love being married? Let me count the reasons why...

First, I get to hear a daily dose of I Love You's. Isn't it great to hear that you are loved, constantly, at least twice a day? Sometimes, I feel that we have become too familiar with the sentence that it has become just one of those expressions. Like when you do a favor for a friend and she goes "You're a life saver! I love you, talaga!" But it's a different thing when you hear it from your husband. Up to now, I get kilig when I hear it from him. It's like falling in love all over again.

Second, I have a 24-hour best friend. Daddyjun has become my best friend ever since we have become a couple. He's a confidant in every true sense of the word. He's a good listener, we can just laze around on the couch and talk about anything under the sun for hours. If you're a woman, you'll understand the importance of having someone listen to you anytime of the day. He knows my deepest secrets. I know I can count on him no matter what. As long as we're together, I know I have somebody I can share my hopes and dreams with.

Third, I feel important. Daddyjun asks my opinion in every decision he makes. It may be as simple as his office get up for the day or as complicated as our financial undertakings. This is a big deal for me especially now that I am not able to contribute financially. He makes me in-charge of everything. In our home, I am in command.

Lastly, I love being married because I enjoy being part of a whole. It's a natural psychological human need. I love it when I am being introduced as my husband's other half. Daddyjun makes me feel that I belong to him but he gives me room to grow. He makes me feel that I am his and because of this he is going to take good care of me. We are not a picture of marriage bliss. We have our fights and misunderstandings. Most of the times, I get to say things that I regret saying to him. He has habits that I hate. I had done things that got him disgusted. At the end of the day, we try to resolve all of this.

As the saying goes, marriage is not always a bed of roses. For me, it is an adventure and I choose to enjoy every minute of it, even if I get scrapes and bruises along the way. Wounds heal, anyway. It's the learning that you get from these wounds that counts. I just got lucky that God gave me the best adventure buddy.