ANNABELLE JAMBORA TALE
On June 29, 1976, I was a young bride of 20. Rene, my groom, was just 23 and had recently joined Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI) as a regular employee — his first job after college. We were very young, yet even then we knew it was “the first day of the rest of our lives.”
Our early years of marriage called for real sacrifice. I still had one more year of college to finish, while Rene had chosen to pursue his law degree at Ateneo Law School. For a year, we were both studying — and caring for our eldest, baby Nina.
Though we lived with my parents during those first three years, we were firm about remaining financially independent.
After I finished college, I was offered a teaching position at Maryknoll Grade School, my alma mater. Rene, meanwhile, continued working full-time at BPI, rushing to Ateneo Makati after office hours to attend his law classes. Through perseverance, discipline, and many prayers to our Lord and to Our Lady of Perpetual Help, he passed the Bar on his first attempt. Around that same time, we were blessed with the birth of our second child, Erik.
We were certainly not spared from challenges. Fears and difficulties came our way, but our faith in God and our devotion to Mama Mary made every burden lighter and easier to carry.
In 1990, we joined Couples for Christ (CFC) — and it came at exactly the right time. With two children to raise and the daily demands of work and family life beginning to take their toll, CFC showed us how to be good and effective parents without losing sight of ourselves as a couple.
Now, fifty years later, we look back — and also ahead.
We are blessed that Nina and Erik have each found good and loving spouses. They are stable, independent, and thriving. Through Erik and his wife Tina, we have been gifted with two grandsons, Enzo and Marcus. As a family, we have stayed close — sharing meals together most days of the week, whether at our home, at theirs, or over a meal out. We delight in watching our grandsons play in football tournaments; both are goalkeepers who take their sport with admirable seriousness. We are deeply grateful that the Lord has allowed us to witness so many milestones in the lives of those we love.
A typical day for us now often begins with the 7 a.m. Mass at our parish. If I manage to wake up early enough, I join Rene; otherwise, I catch the 8 a.m. online Mass at Radyo Katipunan, celebrated by the Jesuits. I sometimes joke that his regular pew-mates might think he is a devoted widower faithfully praying for his departed wife. Before bedtime, we try to pray the Rosary together, lifting our thanksgivings and petitions to the Lord.
We always begin the day over breakfast. Since Rene continues to do consultancy work as a lawyer, he spends a few hours on online matters or attends the occasional meeting. The rest unfolds quietly and with intention.
We continue to treasure friendships — keeping in touch with longtime companions and meeting up when we can. Our social life, including our life as a married couple, has not diminished in our senior years. Romance and intimacy have kept us young at heart.
Travel remains a meaningful part of our shared life. We visit Dumaguete regularly, reconnecting with family and savoring the calm of familiar places. Our daughter Nina — a dear and frequent travel companion — has a gift for discovering interesting destinations, both local and abroad, and thoughtfully arranges everything for us. When her schedule allows, she joins our adventures. There is always a spark of joy in seeing new places, meeting new people, and tasting different cuisines. The pace may be slower now, but the spirit remains young.
Some days pass simply and sweetly — watching movies on our home screen, just the two of us in our quiet, empty-nest home. That, too, is enough.
We try to stay grounded: humble, grateful, and mindful. We tend occasionally to our small ventures, including a house rental at our beach property, but we hold these things lightly. When disagreements arise, we make the effort to resolve them with calm and respect. This, for us, is how love endures — and grows stronger through the years.
With God’s grace, through daily prayer and steadfast faith in His love and mercy, we move forward — grateful for the past, savoring the present, and hopeful for all that lies ahead.
Fifty years in, we believe there is still a lifetime to go.
