One of the hardest things living 5,000 miles away from your immediate loved ones is that inevitably, you’ll miss out on birthdays, get-togethers, CHRISTMASSESSSSSS, etc.
It’s been five years now since I moved – and just when I thought I’m doing good… POP gets engaged and gets married. How can? How can? How can I miss an event like this?!
Pop is a dear friend whose real name is really Rawnna. She was called Pop because she literally popped out – she told us circa 2002. (I don’t forget.)
Relax, it was a civil wedding in HongKong and the real one’s in Boracay next year – WHICH I shall not miss.
Damn. Pop is married.
Mr. and Mrs. Aaron Low – just tied the knot in Hongkong. Photo courtesy of Rex Yadao.
I was putting a ‘save the date’ graphic for Pop for the 2014 ‘real’ wedding and I was moved to tears. WHAT IS IT about folks getting married and my tear ducts just overreacting every time?
I think it wasn’t just Pop, it was just me missing my friends – a group of opinionated shameless beautiful creatures not afraid to strut their stuff and take over the world. We dressed in prom outfits and drove along hip bar districts on a mini truck (which was my first car, by the way). We’ve shared soooo much laughter. Oh we laughed and laughed and laughed – the kine’ laugh where you feel your heart just grew healthier every time. We were all broke then, and struggled through college together. We just had so much wonderful memories.
We’ve always stayed connected and it felt like I never really left Philippines though most of the time I wasn’t in the photos. It hurts that I’m not in the photos. Nothing else makes the phrase ‘wish I was there’ more tangible than a photo without you. With Pop now married, maybe a part of me is starting to feel like some of those memories are slowly fading away….
Oh what drama.
Speaking of memories, these were the LAST that I could find basing from when I last came home. We would spend hours at a coffee shop, insist on getting massages even though establishments were closing out on us at 3 a.m. Pop was still a reporter at a TV station then and after that, fast forward to December where I only see her for 1 hour and she’s off to China next. Ugh.
Pretending like nights are forever
I am just so happy for Pop. (oh here are the tears again.)
Like what she said – ‘This is it, this is for real….’ Yes it is. My best wishes to Pop and Aaron – who I’ve only met ONCE, and that was 2011 Christmas Day at Lola Pinky’s house, Philippines. Pop, like all of my friends, are adopted members of the Zulueta-crazy-family.
These images were the only ones I can pull up from a Flip video taken by Tita Dina when I surprised my parents on a homecoming. (Aaron in the back)
An aloha hug – hello and goodbye.
This was the only time I met Aaron. I just wish I got to know him more – not to put him on a hot seat and interrogate him on ensuring my friend’s welfare and safety on their travels, but I wanted to meet him and talk to him and know why my dear friend said YES to this man.
I would love whoever my friends love.
But it wasn’t hard following Pop’s life and her travels. Every photo she posts with Aaron, they were just glowing and oozing with romance and adventure. She was swept off her feet for sure!
My newsfeed has always been flooded with wedding photos and baby pictures but it doesn’t have a greater impact than this – Pop is married. My friends, can you believe it? She’s married!
All the best, Pop. All the best in the world.