How We Met
Harry and I met for the very first time in 1998 at P.S.62 Chester Park Elementary school in Queens, NY. We were placed in the same 5th grade class and at that point had never shared any other classes together. Neither would we again in the future. I remember us being great friends who enjoyed competing for the better grade, especially when it came to math and science. We shared the same circle of friends and enjoyed pranking each other. But after 5th grade, I transferred to a different school and we never had the opportunity to say goodbye or see each other again. Someone once told me to never say goodbye because goodbyes kill the hope of meeting again. It wasn’t until many years later did we have the chance to meet again and for me to really understand what that meant.
We don’t meet people by accident. They are meant to cross our path for a reason. The funny thing about destiny is that it is so unpredictable but wise enough to know when you are ready to receive life’s greatest treasures. And you never go looking for love but allow it to find you instead. And it will find you but only on destiny’s clock. In the summer of 2009, our friend destiny came knocking to give Harry and I that chance to reconnect.
Harry was attending New York University pursing his major in biochemistry and a minor in physics and math. His dream was to become a surgeon. I was attending St. John’s University pursuing a degree in accounting and eventually my masters in taxation. With a hectic work and school schedule, we managed to fill in the gap of the years we spent apart. As summer was coming to an end, we both realized one thing…we didn’t want to lose each other again.
Being in a long distance relationship with a demanding career and medical school, Harry and I are no strangers to struggle. But it is our love and commitment towards each other that makes this experience worthwhile. Six years later, destiny would come knocking again but this time with the ultimate surprise that would take place at the most magical time of the year…Christmas!
how they asked
Christmas has always been our favorite holiday. It is even more meaningful to us because it is the time of year that we get to spend the most time together since we are separated by 265 miles. During our first Christmas together, Harry had presented me with a beautiful Swarovski ornament of a Christmas tree. He had promised me that one day we will have a tree of our own and we would be able to decorate it together.
And he fulfilled that promise at Christmas in 2015 ! He had gotten a huge tree for us to decorate which we did with beautiful red and gold Christmas ornaments. The color red symbolizes love and passion, whereas gold represents courage, compassion, success and above all magic…all of which made our relationship so meaningful and strong enough to withhold any obstacle. I thought this was the most thoughtful gesture anyone could have done for me but little did I know Harry had something else up his sleeves.
Every year it was tradition to spend Christmas morning at my family’s place to have breakfast and open some presents. Then we would spend the rest of day at Harry’s house to open the remaining presents and have dinner. On our way to his house, Harry mentioned there would be fireworks at a nearby trail. We consider this trail our “special spot” since we’ve enjoyed many beautiful summer days walking it and enjoying the peace and quietness that surrounds it. However as we got out of the car, I felt rain drops. Harry was reluctant to turn back but soon felt them too and realized we wouldn’t be able to walk the trail if it rained. So we had no choice but to head back to his house. Don’t you just love destiny’s sense of humor?
Finally when we got to his house, Harry led me into the living room by the Christmas tree. He pulled out a piece of paper and began to read from it. I soon realized he was reading a note he had written me many years ago. It was written two months of dating me in which he had declared his love for me and a future he hoped we would have together. And then he kneeled on one knee and asked me to marry him! Through the tears and the excitement, I said yes!
Fate brought us together. Choice made us friends. Destiny made us a couple. But it is love that made us one. We cannot be more excited to begin a new chapter in our lives and create more beautiful memories to last a lifetime.
