In about six hours, I will be driving out headed towards San Francisco. Two years have gone by and it seems like it was just yesterday that I came here. Despite that feeling, I feel that I have gained so much from the entire experience.
It saddens me deeply that I have to leave the life that I have built here in the east coast. The hardest part is to know that you’re leaving a very special person behind. Another is that you’re leaving all the friends that you have met. But as they say, life is a journey. We keep moving and life keeps moving with us.
I spent my last weekend with Zach and my friends. And by nightfall, Zach and I had a moment to ourselves. It was one of the most difficult moments of my life. While I was down and weak, Zach remained positive and strong. Our love for each other is stronger now, more than ever. We didn’t say goodbye. We held each other for what seemed like forever. I could not take my arms off of him. I wanted to hold him as long as I could. He wiped my tears and gave me a kiss and smiled. “I love you” was all he could say. He was holding back his own tears. He had to be strong for both of us. Painful as it is, I walked him to his car. I stood from a distance. He turned around and shouted “Mahal kita”. I felt like my chest was going to explode. I went back in my apartment and started loading my things into the car. I had to keep myself distracted from the overwhelming emotions.
My life will never be the same again. Zach and I started to build a life together. And now, we are faced with a challenging future. All that I am holding on to right now is his love and our commitment to make the best of what we have and make it work.
“Come home soon”. These three words will be my beacon in the coming days, my source of strength, and my ray of light.
I’ll be home soon, baby. I’ll be home soon.