Ruel, my husband for 14 years, and children came home from school. As our usual habit, they come to me and kiss me. Ruel did not kiss me. He just looked at me. Then he took my hands, slowly slipped an 18K white and yellow gold ring into my ring finger. Then he kissed me and greeted, "Happy Anniversary." I cried.
The reason for the emotions
When I was still single, I would collect genuine gold jewelries. I was not into fancy jewelries. Jewelries for me are investments... and I invested on them.
But when I entered the ministry, my investment was put into use. My Bangkok 22K gold necklace was pawned to bring a child to the hospital... that child died and my necklace was never redeemed.
My collection of gold rings and earrings and even my expensive bracelet slowly found their way back to the pawnshop to help someone in need....
When I got married, my last piece of jewelry financed the hospitalization of a woman with ovary tumor.
My ordination gold cross was pawned to finance our first few months in seminary study.
I would look at jewelry stores and wonder when would I be able to once again invest on jewelry. It's an investment, and hopefully, something to hand to my children and grandchildren.
I never realized that my husband noticed my visits to jewelry stores whenever we are in the mall.
A lady jeweler often visits PCU and offer "hulugan" jewelries to employees. Ruel connived with two staff members, Liza and Alma to contact the jeweler for a hulugan. He bought this piece of jewelry for me.
So while I was leading the chapel service yesterday, Ruel and Alma were transacting with the jeweler for the ring.
The ring is beyond his means. This is something I could really say as "sacrificial love." I cried at his effort to give me a ring.
But other than the effort, Ruel restored all the jewelries I surrendered to God with this ring. This is the most precious jewelry I will ever have.
Thank you, Tatay Ruel. You are sooooooooo dear! I don't think I'd be able to top this act. I love you now more than ever.
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