Social media has indeed taken the world by storm, reinforcing our habits and even our perspectives in life. This is a story of how one message on Facebook steered two strangers to meet and eventually fall hook, line and sinker for each other.
It was a story written by fate: Geraldine, a Filipina overseas worker in Dubai, finds love again, thanks to a Facebook message and a little bit of prodding from her friends and family.
Geraldine, fondly called Gen by her friends, left the Philippines for Dubai in 2011 with a heavy heart. Back then, she was in a relationship with the man of her dreams, her fiance JR (not his real name). Gem told The Filipino Times in an interview that it was a struggle keeping their long-distance relationship strong.
She was able to bring JR to Dubai, but in the end, they broke up after nearly seven years of being together. Gen found out that JR was cheating on her in Dubai.
She felt devastated but she initially kept the news to herself. That time, she didn’t want her family to know that they had fallen out, because her parents were against their relationship from the start.
When she finally confessed to them about their breakup, her family and friends went out of their way to lift Gen’s spirits. Then Michael, who would later be the man she would marry, appeared in the picture. They were introduced to each other by Gen’s friends in the UAE, not knowing that Michael was a friend of his ex’s other woman.
“Nireto po siya (Michael) ng mga pinsan ko. Matagal na po nila kilala si Michael pero napagtahi nila na mutual friend niya yung babaeng ipinalit po sa akin ng ex ko,” Gen told TFT.
Michael took the first step and sent Gen a message on Facebook. It was the start of a budding romance between the two. Michael admitted being nervous around Gen, telling her that it’s been seven years since his last relationship. For Gen, this admission was enough to endear Michael to her even more.
Over time, the two became comfortable in each others’ presence and began to spend time together. No one, not even their friends, were surprised when the two became a couple.
The engagement
After some time of being in a relationship, Michael began to envision a future with Gen. He was all set to propose to her, with a ring ready in his pocket. But that time, Michael was about to be stationed to a new shop in Shahama. This meant less time to see and spend time with Gen.
“Before he left for Shahama, he hugged me and whispered how much he loves me, how he will miss me,” Gen narrated.
“Chael popped the question, I nodded and smiled. Then he got the ring, asked me again if I wanted to marry him. He kissed the ring before he put it on my finger. After I said yes, we sealed it with a kiss,” she added.
Life as a married couple
Gen and Michae got married in January this year. Gen says that she may not have realized it back then when she was grieving the loss of her ex-boyfriend, but now she sees through God’s plans for her. She now knows she was destined to meet the love of her life after a heartbreak, and through the most unexpected medium: Facebook!
“‘Yung love story namin proof na when one chapter closes, another one starts,” Gen told TFT.
“Our relationship is not perfect but it’s one-of-a-kind. We fight, we kiss, we quarrel at times most especially because of mood swings but at the end of the day we will still be each other’s’ Bebelabz,” Gen recounts.
Gen and Michael’s love story is one straight out of a fairy tale book set in today’s era of modern technological advances. Some of the plot lines are modern but still holds true the adage that when a chapter closes, a new one is set to begin.
I always believed that God will always find ways for you to find the right one..maybe the road going there will be painful but it will be surely worth it? God bless you both lovely couple?