By Amirah Banda and Story Contributors

We were once fooled for love. No matter how good it gets and no matter how painful the consequences can be, we still think that it will always be worth the shot. Let us learn from the experiences of our story contributors who survived major heartaches but still managed to love again.

ENTRY #1: Love is Sweeter the Third Time Around

By Autumn Jade

“Hello, mga ka NLEX. Gusto ko lang i-share ang aking love story. Nag-umpisa ang lahat noong ako’y 16 yrs old pa lang. Nakilala ko sya sa aming mutual friend. Ginamit kasi ng friend niyang guy yung phone ko pangtext, and then, bigla na lang syang nagtext sa ‘kin hanggang sa magstart na kaming magtanungan ng personal info. Dahil bata pa lang ako noon, na-fall ako sa kanya kahit di pa kami nagkikita. And then 1-time, sabi niya kung pwede ba daw maging kami na. Ganun sya ka confident sa sarili niya. Hanggang sa ako naman ‘tong gaga, pumayag naman ako. So ayun na nga, naging kami for two weeks lang kasi, sa kagustuhang kong makasigurado kung totoo ba yung feelings niya for me, eh pinagpanggap ko yung friend ko na makipagtext mate sa kanya and pinatanong ko if my gf ba sya. So, that point, dineny naman niya. Sabi niya sa friend ko wala daw syang gf.

Month of August year 2009 yun nung makipaghiwalay ako sa kanya and then ilang buwan din akong walang naging balita sa kanya. Hanggang sa sumapit ang buwan ng November, bigla akong niyaya ng mga kaibigan ko na mutual friend namin na pumunta sa mga bf nila. Di ko alam na andun sya at, ayun na nga, nilapitan niya ko and then nagstart na siyang mambola. Natandaan ko yung sinabi niya nun na siguro daw kapag nagkaanak kami eh gwapo at maganda ang mga magiging anak namin. At doon din sinabi niya na gusto niya makipagbalikan sakin. Dahil siguro sa first love ko siya at my feelings pa din naman ako sa kanya, sumugal ako, syempre. Naging kami ulit. Yung sumunod na tatlong buwan mula magkabalikan kami eh hindi naging maayos dahil sa ilang beses siyang nagcheat sakin. Pero dahil mahal ko siya nagawa ko pa din syang patawarin. Hanggang sa ito na nga nagtino na sya.

Makalipas ang dalawang taon ng pagiging mag-bf/gf namin, ito na nga po kami almost 12 yrs ng kasal at masayang nagsasama bilang mag asawa. And take note po, biniyayaan nga po kami ng maganda at gwapong anak. Minsan sa buhay pag-ibig kailangan din po nating sumugal, lalo na kung mahal po natin yung tao. Wag po natin siyang sukuan dahil lang sa isang pagkakamamali niya kase darating yung araw na marerealize na lang po natin, siya pala yung nakatadhana talaga sa atin. Hanggang dito na lang po yung love story ko. “

ENTRY #2: Situationship

By Anonymous

“Love will find you in unexpected places and time. Some people don’t know how to confess their feelings, but this guy confessed through an anonymous application. Starting that day, may guts na ako na sya yon pero syempre di tayo assuming. Haha. Naalala ko lang kase non na minsan na syang tinukso saken ng kasamahan nya noon. At active reactor ko din sya non sa lahat ng post ko. Til’ one day, sinimulan na kameng tuksuin ng mga kasamahan namin sa office, don na din nagsimula na magchat sya saken at eventually nasa getting to know stage na pala kame.

He asks me for a lunch date but in an indirect way. Haha. Di ko alam kung mahiyain kase yon o nasanay sa biruan lagi. Haha. Papatagal na nagkakausap kame, mas nakikilala ko sya at mas madami din yung naririnig about sakanya pero deadma girl!

So fast forward, nagkikita kame sa office at nagkakausap day and night. Wow! Hahaha. Hanggang sa unti-unting nakuha niya yung loob ko or baka mabilis lang talaga akong mahulog? Hahaha.

Sa loob ng ilang buwan namin nagkakausap kame, pinaramdam nya naman na totoo yung feelings nya. We found each other’s comfort, naging ranting/chikahan buddies. He is also my one-call-away and almost all-in-one man. Masaya naman kame kahit nagkakaron ng maraming tampuhan, nagkakaron ng issues na eventually naaayos naman. The feelings are true, the love in the air eka nga. Hahahaha. Pero hindi sapat na mahal mo lang kaya

..we decided to end it.

Yes, I can feel the love but inconsistent. Sometimes, I feel like he loves me when it is convenient for him.
Nung mga panahon na yon, binalewala ko kase di naman kame. Bakit ako maghahangad ng more than those feelings? It is hard na ilaban ang bagay na ikaw lang ang may gusto lumaban.
He never asks me kung pwedeng simulan ulit namin. So, it is late when he realized that he truly loves me.
It is late because I can’t choose him now. Again, di sapat na mahal ko lang. As of now, we are friends (with special treatment chos!)

To those people na nasa no label relationship, do not settle for less. Masaya sa una pero sa huli masakit. At sa mga may tinatagong feelings, let it out bago mahuli ang lahat.

Happy hearts day.”

ENTRY #3: Once More Chance

By Bea

“2014 nakilala ko si POPOY. That time ayoko sa kanya, kaya mas minabuti ko na lang na maging kaibigan siya. Pero hindi pa din nagbago ang pakikitungo nya sakin, grabe pa din siya mag effort at never niya kong iniwan. Hanggang 2023 sinabi niya sakin na naaksidente sya sa motor, kaya naman agad ko siyang pinuntahan sa Pampanga. Pero hindi ko inexpect na kahit nagpapagaling siya mas pinili pa din niyang ipasyal ako sa Pampanga, na kahit ganun na ang kalagayan niya. At habang namamasyal kami doon ko narealized kung gaano niya ko pahalagahan, ingatan at mahalin. Hanggang nung April 2023 sinagot ko na siya, at sa bawat araw ipinaparamdam nya sakin kung gaano niya ko kamahal, to the point na pinagpray ko na sa Lord na sana siya na, na wag na syang kukunin sakin, na hindi ko na kaya ng wala siya, na siya na sa habang buhay.

Pero, dumating na yung point na kinakatakutan ko. Iba na yung nararamdaman ko, hindi na siya katulad nung dati. Feeling ko may iba na. Pero pinagpray ko na lang ang lahat na kung meron man, sana kayanin ko. Dec. 31, 2023, isusurprise ko sana siya sa kanila, nag luto ako at nagprepare ako para sa new year, kaya lang pagdating ko doon, wala siya! Kaya tinawagan ko siya tinanong ko kung nasan siya at sinabi kong nasa kanila ko pero sinagot niya ko ng “nasa Angeles ako, sige na nagdridrive pa ko“ na never niyang ginawa sakin yun. Dahil everytime na magkikita kami, uuwi at uuwi sya kahit nasan pa siya. Then, umuwi na ko at blinocked ko siya ! Kasi iba na kutob ko. Then nung nakauwi na ko sa bahay ang dami niyang messages nagexplain siya na nasa work siya etc. Hinayaan ko na lang. Then, nag pray ako “Lord kung meron mang iba tulungan mo kong kayanin, kasi hindi ko kayang mawala sya”. Hanggang sa mga sumunod na araw, ang dami ng signs na pinapakita sa’kin ng Lord. Jan. 05 nakita ko sa isang post na meron na nga siyang iba at hindi na ako. Hindi ko na napigilang umiyak habang nasa duty, pero di ko inexpect na ganun ako icacare ng mga superiors ko sa NLEX. Baka sila yung pinadala ng Lord para makayanan ko lahat ng sakit. Ang sakit sakit lang din dahil ang dami pa naming plano para sa darating na birthday ko (January 09) na lahat ng yun hindi na mangyayari. After nun, nagpray lang ako at niready ko na yung sarili ko na tanggapin kung ano man ang kalalabasan ng usapan namin . Nagusap kami. Sinabi ko na mahal na mahal ko siya pero alam kong meron ng iba at hindi na ako. PERO wala akong narinig sa kanya. Hindi siya nagsalita, di siya nag-explain at ni sorry wala akong narinig na kanya. Hanggang sa mga sumunod na araw wala na siyang paramdam. January9, birthday ko! Pinuntahan ko pa din yung simbahan kung saan sana namin icecelebrate yung birthday ko. After nun, ang daming nag message sakin esp. NLEX FAM. Naramdaman kong di ako nag iisa, na ganun ako kamahal ng mga tiga NLEX. pero ……
Isa lang nman ang bday wish ko.. “sana makita ko pa din sya, Lord, sa loob o sa labas man ng NLEX.
Nakakatawa mang isipin na dahil sa pagdaan niya sa NLEX, nawala ang lahat. Nalaman kong nagsisinungaling siya, at nalaman ko ang totoo pero naniniwala pa din ako na dahil sa NLEX magkikita at magkikita pa din kami.
Sa ngayon ipagpapatuloy ko pa din ang byahe ng buhay ko, kasama ang exempt badge ko hehehehe MARAMING SALAMAT NLEX 🙂 “

ENTRY #4: Pinagtagpo Pero ‘Di Tinadhana

By Aqua

“Ako po ay nakaranas din na mabroken hearted nang 3 beses. Iba iba ang dahilan pero isa lang ang ginawa ko, syempre, ang mag MOVE ON. Inisip ko kasi nun, magmukmok man ako eh wala naman mangyayari. Saka lagi ko iniisip na kaya kami nagkahiwalay kasi di kami ang nakatadahana, na may taong nakatadhana talaga para sa akin. At may binigay nga si God na right guy para sa akin at kasalukuyan mag 15 years na kami together sa darating na March 26,2024 kasama ng aming 2 anak.

Thank you po.”

ENTRY #5: You Gain in Losing

By JBCAPRICORN

“4 years kami ng ex ko. I was seasonal sa NLEX, that time, gusto ko maregular kaya kung ano yung schedule ko na nakaplot pinapasukan ko talaga. Kaya lang nabawasan ako ng oras sa boyfriend ko, nambabae sya OJT sa hotel na pinapasukan nya. Ginawa ko lahat ng pwede ko gawin, bumalik lang sya sakin. Sobrang stress, grabe! It took 2 years for me bago nakamove on. Then may nakilala ako at yun naintindihan nya work ko. Ngayon, 3 na anak namin 🤣 At lahat yun pandemic babies. 4 yrs, old 2yrs old, and 1yr old.
Ps sinubok man ang puso ko, lumaban at nagdasal para bumangon. Happy Valentine’s Day po 💛”

ENTRY #6: Starting Over Again

By Serendipity

“I need space…”

“It’s not you, it’s me…”

“We’re better off as friends…”

“You deserve someone better…”

I’m sure you’re no stranger to these phrases; after all, who hasn’t heard them? These are seemingly simple lines, yet they carry profound implications. They mark the conclusion of a once-beloved narrative and shatter the hopes that once fueled your motivation.

Perhaps some individuals would share their experiences of coping with life after being heartbroken by their ex-partner. But have you ever considered how the one who initiated the breakup, often labeled as the ‘heartbreaker,’ copes with the aftermath?

It was not until I heard a song that reminded me of our relationship, that I realized I must have made a mistake. It said “I know, you know, we know, we weren’t meant for each other and it’s fine. But if the world was ending, you’d come over, right?” It made me smile because I knew he’d do the exact same thing. He loved me for how some would describe “to infinity and beyond”. I was so confident with his love for me and believed that no matter what happen, he will always be there… or so I thought.

In the past, I’ve searched for love in all the wrong places, leaving my heart hurt and my idea of love warped. I spent a long time believing that love and relationships were battlegrounds where I had to fight for someone’s affection, where I had to constantly give of myself.

I thought everything changed four years ago when I prayed to God for someone who I could pour all my love into, someone caring, unafraid to show his true feelings. I desired someone who is open and expressive, unhesitant to say ‘I miss you’ or ‘I love you. And who would have thought that amidst the chaos of the Covid-19 pandemic, I unexpectedly found the embodiment of my prayers in him. Our relationship felt dreamy, almost too good to be true. And even though I usually don’t believe in fairy tales I suppressed any lingering doubts and allowed myself to dive into the experience.

He’s your classic ideal guy – always bringing flowers for special occasions and showering you with gifts, from clothes, bags to accessories. I remember those mornings, walking to my table and finding breakfast waiting for me, complete with cute little notes from him. He’s just the sweetest, and my family and friends adore him.

Just when I thought everything was perfect, I began to realize that I was falling out of love. Doubts crept in about whether we were growing together. He was so wonderful that I started questioning if I was still the right match for him. Having been used to conditional love in the past, I was unsure of how to respond and struggled to accept the genuine affection he showed me. As he worked on fixing our relationship, I became emotionally distant and pushed him away, believing that if he truly loved me, he would stick around.

I said it, I initiated the breakup, convinced that even if we weren’t together anymore, he would still be there for me whenever I needed him. I was sure then that the best thing I could do was to work on myself, to be a better person… without him. Despite knowing that he dreaded hearing those words, he still granted my request, reassuring me that he would always be there whenever I needed him.

In the months that followed, it seemed like nothing had changed between us. He continued to share details about his day, and we still spent time together, attended events and hung out as we always had.

It took me five months to fully grasp the impact of my actions. I attempted to salvage what remained of our relationship and get back together but by then, it was too late. He had already made the decision to move on and pursue a new path in life.

ENTRY #7: The One We Once Loved

By Señorita0129

Do you believe in happy endings?

Once in a person’s lifetime, everyone finds this one perfect person whom we fall hopelessly in love with and live happily ever after, (but this is just a mere fallacy). In the real world, certain people are not meant to fit in our lives no matter how much we want them to stay.

We’ve been friends since middle school and dated after we graduated from college. It was a rough breakup and finally called it quits after two years of being together. We quarreled a lot because of jealousy, and we kept on disappointing each other. We do not meet each other’s expectations and he thinks I deserve someone better. It started with not talking to him for a week, which changed our relationship. In an instant, we became strangers and uttered lies and excuses not to see each other. It took a toll on me because he was the first man that I ever loved. I was so messed up after he left me. He built me up just to realize that he would tear me apart. Pain is the only thing that tells me I am alive and, at that moment, the universe is completely turned upside down and nothing makes sense anymore. It was a moment when facts became fiction and every truth, I ever believed became a lie. The present becomes the past and our love story becomes a myth. The reality becomes an illusion as my anxieties transform into fear because somewhere inside me realize that everything, we dreamed together dissolved away into nothing.

My emotions were taking over my life. I was preoccupied with the rejection and pain of losing the person I once loved. I was trying to figure out what went wrong and how I can fix things. I had mood swings back and forth, one minute I still loved him and decided to win him back, and then the next minute, I decided that I was better off without him and then the next, I wanted him back. How can I ease the pain and survive each day knowing that we are no longer together?

The only thing that I know for sure is that the emotional state I am living in is causing problems in my life. I tried to focus myself, on my work, or something else to keep my mind off my ex, but it did not work. I pray for an end to that emotional torture. To be honest, there is no timeline for moving on after a breakup. Do not be ashamed if you are taking too much time to heal.
What I learned with this is not everything is worth fixing and life never stops for anyone. No second chances for those who had access and abused it. Learn to forgive and LOVE again.

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