From My First Love to Mr. Dream Boy to My Eternal Companion

Today is Valentine’s Day in the Philippines, and before this beautiful day quietly closes, I just want to write about love — from my first love, to my Mr. Dream Boy, to my eternal companion.
Love changes… or maybe it doesn’t change — it deepens.
It grows richer as we grow wiser.
For me, love is most beautiful when the heart is pure. Because when your heart is pure, success, joy, heartbreak, and even misfortune will still reveal wisdom. You will always find beauty in the story.

My first love was when I was 18.
The magical teenage kilig — when you finally like someone and he likes you back. That feeling builds confidence because someone sees your beauty. It feels like forever. And when it ends, it hurts deeply because it’s your first taste of letting go.

We met because we both loved music and writing. We even had a journal we exchanged back and forth, filling pages with our thoughts. On our first anniversary, he wrote a song for me entitled “It’s Nyles.” And he told me the meaning — “Not your love that will end for sometime.” At 18, that sounded like forever. Young love taught me that love is not control, not selfishness — it should bring out the better in you. And when you can no longer hold on, you let go… and you let God.

Then one day, I met my Mr. Dream Boy.

I had always dreamed of studying abroad, and there he was — part of that dream. We met before our church missions, became pen pals while serving, and somehow returned to Hawaii at the same time. First day back, first class at 7:30 AM — classmates again. We created beautiful memories. It felt like destiny writing something special.

But some dreams are meant to teach, not to stay.

Almost five years of hoping taught me that the right person comes at the right time — when both of you are ready to hold hands and jump into the next chapter together. Love is not just emotion; it is readiness. It is when uncertainty turns into trust.

And then… I met my eternal companion — my husband.

This love was different.
Not loud. Not a roller coaster.
It was calm. Peaceful. Steady.

With him, I can be fully myself. I want to grow. I can clearly see the future. I learned that love is something you wait for — but also something you prepare for. You don’t just wish for love to arrive; you become ready for it. Sometimes we think we know what we want, but love reveals what we truly need.

You fix yourself first.
You become whole.
And when two whole people meet, it’s no longer about chasing a feeling — it’s about building a life.

Dating, for me, was never just about knowing someone else. It was about knowing myself — understanding the kind of partner I can grow with, the kind of teammate I need for the long journey.

Today, I’m grateful for every chapter.
Every kilig. Every heartbreak. Every waiting season.
Because each one prepared my heart.

What these seasons of love taught me: 

✨ Keep your heart pure.
✨ Let love make you better, not bitter.
✨ Trust God’s timing more than your own.
✨ And when the right love comes, it will feel like peace.

Love is most beautiful when it is blessed by God and built by two ready hearts.

Happy Valentine’s Day. ❤️