Dearest Tito and Nita,
CONGRATULATIONS on your RUBY WEDDING ANNIVERSARY! You know, not so many couples celebrate this particular occasion; most do so in their SILVER, GOLDEN and DIAMOND ANNIVERSARY. Well I believe you have made a very timely decision to celebrate now.
Just like the RUBY, the symbol of your four decades of a heaven-blest relationship, both of you always exude a deep rosy glow as you lovingly and unselfishly deal with each other, with the members of your family, relatives, significant others, and even insignificant ones. The deep rosy glow sparkles in the acts of kindness, hospitality, and generosity that you afford anyone you come in touch with. Of course, the most rosy and most attractive sparkle of this gem in your marriage is the way you have raised your five children such that they are glowing now in their successful careers and three of them are radiating more sparkles, glowing in their very happy family life. (All these have been confirmed in the well-organized and very comprehensive tribute to you after the Mass and renewal of your marital vows, given by Manang Floring, your ever-glamorous Mom, Tito, who also happens to be my cousin, whom I’ve been secretly idolizing).
Nita, I liked very much the way you said to your Mommy Floring after the tribute, "Thank you very much, Mommy, for taking care of the boy and giving me the man! This led me into a moment of pride and reminiscing over the days when I luckily had a little part in the life of the boy Tito.
It was way back in 1955, my sixth year of teaching. I was newly transferred to the Gabaldon School after five school years at the Sto. Cristo Elementary School in the eastern part of the town proper. Not only was I happy to be in a nearer school but I was truly elated too, to have been given the Grade V Section 1 as my advisory class, aside from being assigned all the Grade V English classes. I was really happy, no end, and why not? The major part of my advisory class was from elite families (mostly taga-centro), some were my own relatives, including my younger sister, others were children of some of our co-teachers, and one, of a high-ranking official in our school. Coupled with my elation, therefore, was a certain inner fear that I may not come up to the high expectations of these "important parents. And to top it all, there was one intriguing characteristic of this particular class - leading the class were a pair of boys (one of them was Tito) who consistently tied for First Honor from First Grading to Fourth Grading. I honestly felt then that it would be impossible to have such a phenomenal unbreakable "tie all through the grading periods. I took this up as a challenge to disprove it. I resolved to be very careful, be extra observant, and be extremely objective in evaluating these two boys of promise. I shared this concern with my co-teachers (two of whom were my former teachers) and thankfully they cooperated with me. I suggested that we compute the average of each pupil's accomplishments within a grading period to the third decimal place and round off to the nearest second decimal place. This was done in a closed conference with my co-teachers in Grade V every grading period. Gradually, through the grading periods, there already appeared a widening difference in the ratings of these used-to-be perennial "tiers until at the close of the school year, Tito landed undebatedly at the top of the class alone. This continued up to Grade VI and all through their High School years together. Modesty, would this be the reason perhaps that up to now (more than half a century later) Tito still calls me "Ma'am"?
Listening to the harmonious rendition of your girls, occasionally joined by you, Tito, and to your well-blended romantic duet with Nita, I couldn't help but remember also the gleeful chorus in four voices which I trained selected members of the Grade V classes in an entry to the Literary-Musical contests among schools then. You were a mainstay among the tenors, Tito. Do you still picture how jubilant we were when we emerged champions among all the elementary schools in Bacarra? So we went to Pasuquin for the District meet and we won again! We went to Bangui for the Unit meet and we were qualified to represent the whole Northern Ilocos Norte at the Provincial Meet in Laoag. Although we only attained Second Place due to hometown decision, I hope this stint somehow aroused in you and the rest of your group a genuine interest in singing and in honoring your inherent musical talents, and for your part, together with Nita, passed this on to your equally talented children.
Now, I wish all the blessings you've deserved throughout all these years will continue and even increase in the years to come. May God's love always rise with the rising of each dawn for you and make your life as deeply aglow the RUBY and then turn slowly to gold until you reach the ultimate fulfillment of your lives together represented by the perfect gem - the DIAMOND!
With much love and prayers,
Manang Nora Ruiz - Agbayani and family
