I once made two lost souls meet: A Mt. Gulugod Baboy Love Story

Sometimes, in search of true love, we lose our true selves. And sometimes, we find something else. I lost myself trying to find "The One" and I found myself on the mountains when I was trying to end my life. Ironic, isn't it? God has a way of letting you see things unexpectedly. I did not just find a romantic kind of love (that I am still in search of), I found love in everything else. I found love in family, friends, and nature. But, have you ever helped someone to meet "The One" for them? Have you had this sense of feeling that this person is meant for someone you know? This friend of mine is meant for my other friend. That feeling bugging you that "Oh maybe they'll work out. Maybe they're meant to be together. Maybe."

I have this friend since, I honestly can't remember when. Her name is Meryl Crane but we simple call her Mak "Mc". She's the type of girl who would send a group message to us friends saying that she's alone in front of the store drinking beer asking us to accompany her. And we, her friends, would agree to meet her and have her finish her beer. She was the type of girl who would top up 900 worth of prepaid load just because she got on a heated argument with a fellow CCTV chatter (old days lol). She was the type of girlfriend who would go in a fight with her boyfriend like there's no tomorrow. She has been a strong independent woman at a very young age. She was the Hugot Queen of the group.

And then I met this guy on one of the travel I organized, to Capisaan Cave in Nueva Vizcaya. His name is Jayson. He was your typical bully who makes fun of other people just so there is someone to laugh at. Not the type of bully that hurts and would make you lose your self-esteem. But it is definitely irritating lol! It did irritate me that I decided not to be friendly with him. Until one day, I saw him posting stuff on social media that I found it quite odd because it was so unlike him. I got to talk to him and learned that, what he was in front of everybody was just a facade. I was reminded not to judge a book by it's cover. This guy is actually one of the most sensitive person I've met. He decided to call me his "bes". He quickly turned from the man who irritated me to one of my best friends.

I was a bridge. (Literally in between lol!)

I often told both of them that, "You should go on a date with my friend.", "I have a friend, I feel that you'll end up together.", "You will have a good chemistry with my friend." I literally bugged them to meet, there were a few instances wherein they should've already met but didn't. Until one day, when we planned a hike to Gulugod Baboy that they eventually did.

Hep! Hep! magkatabi na silaaa!

It was magical, at least for me. They both had someone in a complicated relationship with. If you could even call it a relationship. More of a playmate, they were. Jayson said that his then girl wanted to join our hike. But because I was rooting for him and Mak to end up together, I told him that I don't want him to bring his girl along. (I had a say in his relationship lol!) Mak was to go with his then guy. I remember Paulo Coelho said that "When you want something, the universe conspires in helping you achieve it." I wanted my friends to date but there's this guy who will join the hike. I was planning what to do to get him out of my friends way. But I didn't have to, for the universe conspired with me and maybe destiny? Mak was calling him but he didn't answer. So Mak decided to leave him behind. *insert evil laugh* He sent a message later that day that he didn't wake up. We were already in Batangas.

Mak handled the usual routine when hiking. Registering the participants, getting a guide, then we started with a morning prayer. The prayer was lead by our friend's ex fiance. (Sorry for this.) At the time we felt her very lucky to have someone as perfect as him. We, Mak and I, even prayed, "Kahit isang *insert guy's name* lang please? Yung may singsing. Yung nagdadasal." We sounded desperate. Little did we know that the magic was about to happen to both of them. Their chemistry instantly kicked in. From the hike, on the boat to the island, while doing socials, they were inseparable. I knew I made the right decision to have them meet.

Where are they now do you ask? They are happily married and their bundle of joy is on her way. She will be welcomed next month by her wonderful parents. Parents who were beaten but chose to be strong, who bad things have happened to but chose to enjoy life, and who both had to deal with the dark but chose to see and stay in the light. Their love story happened with the beauty of mother nature. I hope one day I will too. :)

May forever! #McSon

From Hugot Queen and King to Umay-Sa-Kasweetan-Lovers with friends haha