THE LONG, Winding Road That Led to FOREVER
CARLO AND CAROL
The Long, Winding Road That Led to Forever: How Carol's Unparalleled Patience and Carlo's Lightbulb Decision to Change for the Better Kept the Couple Together
In the journey of love uncovered by Real Bride Magazine, we learn about how Carol's unwavering patience and boundless affection became the guiding light for her now husband Carlo's transformation. As the couple navigated through life's trials and tribulations, Carol steadfastly believed in Carlo's capacity for change and growth. Her love, like a steady beacon, illuminated the path for them both, leading them towards a deeper connection that ultimately led to the altar after much failed plans. Through countless ups and downs, Carol's enduring patience finally bore fruit, as Carlo, touched by her unwavering devotion, embarked on a remarkable journey of self-improvement. Their love's resilience prevailed, paving the way for a profound commitment—a marriage that stands as a testament to the power of love's patience and unwavering belief.
A Group Project that Bore Good Grades and Chemistry
Carol and Carlo first met in College in AMA University with her as a 16-year-old freshman and him, a 19-year-old irregular student fond of having fun than acing quizzes. Carlo was then seeing another girl while Carol was a typical college student; studious and proper, whereas Carlo was your typical college dude: more interested in partying than in his studies.
As the school year shifted to another term, the soon to be couple found themselves involved in a group project. They will visit a classmate’s house to meet up for the said project. At first, Carlo finds Carol in his own words as trying hard “to be stylish in front of him”, while Carol finds Carlo as a lazy student who is good in solving math problems but bad in written quizzes and essays.
Carol soon ends up helping Carlo with his written school works, and Carlo asking Carol for fare money back home. We can say Carol is the Kath Bernardo and Carlo is the Daniel Padilla in a “She’s Dating a Gangster” kind of rom-com film.
That group project not only turned in a high mark from their professor but also a budding romantic chemistry between the two. But one day Carlo suddenly stopped attending class. Carol waited a week for a word from Carlo, but none came. With the help of a common friend Leonila, they searched for Carlo’s house and paid him a visit to his surprise. This gave Carol the chance to talk to Carlo heart to heart and before leaving, she encouraged Carlo to go back to attending their classes.
Not long after, Carol and Carlo found themselves spending more time together than with everyone else,
It didn’t come as a surprise that in Carol’s third year in college she got pregnant with their first child.
Then Came the Series of Botched Married Plans and Challenges
Coinciding with Carol’s parents learning about her pregnancy on her third month, Carlo, with his mother and brother, went to the house of Carol to meet her parents and to ask her blessing for a civil wedding.
Carol's mother changed her mind at the last minute when it came time to sign the paperwork. She advised the couple to postpone the wedding until Carol and Carlo finished their education.
Carol continued her education at AMA even after becoming a mother. Meanwhile, Carlo began missing class, prompting Carol to make frequent visits to his house in an effort to coax him back.
Carlo’s on and off interest in finishing his studies reflected the couple’s relationship following the collapse of planning their wedding.
They reconciled again and this time Carlo found a job working for his brother while Carol manages a computer shop her mother gave to her as a business, When their second child turned 2 years old, the couple made another attempt to get married. However, before they could began planning stages, Carol and Carlo met another roadblock in their relationship.
She booted him out of their house when Carlo went back to his old ways of spending more time with friends. This time around, Carol started living the life she missed out on after she gave birth to her child at a young age.
“I started finding more time to hang out with friends. I was managing my computer shop and parent’s business in the day and going out at night expanding my social life”, Carol says.
A Mother’s Deathbed Wish
With almost zero communication between Carol and Carlo, a family tragedy opened a door for the two to reconnect.
"After two years, he saw me with the kids again", Carol recalls. "His mom got sick around 2008, he called me up and asked if I wanted to take the kids visit their grandmother".
It turns out Carlo's mom was dying from stage 3 cancer, and it wasn't long before she passed away. "He took me and the kids to their province to attend the wake", Carol said. "I noticed a change in Carlo, he looked like something stirred him up".
After that, Carlo started courting Carol again by visiting her home even when there is a typhoon. Not long after, they got back together and had their third child in 2013, After 5 months she got pregnant again to their Fourth Child, Carlo’s reiterated his plan of moving out from Carol’s parental house but again she resisted living away from her mother.
But the issues kept coming back. Carlo developed a couple of bad habits, and he also started spending more time with Carol’s brother. When their youngest child was only 8 months old, Carol and her mother got into an argument and this time around, Carol realized Carlo was right to move out and live on their own. The couple soon rented out an apartment with some help from Carol’s father.
Carol, despite the fact that she and her family are barely hanging on by a thread, continues to work and manage her parent’s business while Carlo stays at home to take care of the children.
Until one day, Carol, seemingly on the verge of giving up, confronted Carlo. "I asked him. Look at your kids, look at me. Will you not change to keep us?" Carol tells Real Bride Magazine.
"Like a light was switched on, if you know what I mean. After that, Carlo underwent an immediate transformation for the better”, Carol shares.
As 2019 drew near, Carlo made good on her mother's last wish by proposing to Carol once more.
Finally, Wedding Bells but Wait, Pandemic Happened
Just when Carol and Carlo thought that this time would be different, with Carlo's transformation into a better man, husband, and father and their financial stability already in place, a worldwide crisis shattered their wedding plans once more.
No thanks to the pandemic, the couple’s original plan of having their wedding in 2020 was shelved. No thanks to the restrictions still in place such as wearing mask and social distancing, their December 2021 wedding was cancelled once again.
Carlo and Carol continued marching towards the altar. This time, they've set December 5, 2022, Carlo’s father’s birthdate, as the date for their second wedding. With the epidemic fading as more of the world's population received Covid-19 vaccines, the definite date for their big day appeared to be approaching.
“To my surprise, Carlo took charge of the wedding preparation. He chose the theme, decided on the church and venue, met with the suppliers, haggled for fees, set up a budget and even designed my wedding gown”, Carol said.
Because Carol’s Chinese Zodiac Sign is a rooster, Carlo who is also fond of raising cockfighting rooster, made it a point to include beads pattern depicting a rooster on Carol’s wedding gown. “I never expected it but looked great on my wedding gown”, Carol said.
It couldn't have happened at a better time for Carol and Carlo to make vows in front of God after nearly two decades of attempting to do so. The couple's long-awaited marital union finally occurred at a time when both of them had seen each other in their worst and best states, yet they held on — especially Carol, whose patience in guiding Carlo towards a path of betterment paved the way for the building of a solid foundation for their family.
Love wins, against all odds indeed.
