“Mature love is composed and sustaining…a celebration of commitment, companionship and mutual trust.” – H. Jackson Brown, Jr.
During last Sunday’s Catholic Action of Mary’s (CAM) 37th Santacruzan Presentation Ball at Double Tree by Hilton Hotel in Newark, New Jersey, a couple effortlessly caught the attention of the curious crowd when they were honored with Special Award for having acted as Hermano and Hermana Mayors for six years… a feat hard to duplicate.
Dashing in his wardrobe Rolando B. Macuja, after being the Santacruzan Chairman in 2002, became its Hermano Mayor in 2005, 2009, 2012, 2013, 2014, and this year, 2015.
On the other hand, his wife, Diwata Arrieta Macuja, elegantly garbed in an embroidered tangerine terno (Filipina gown), humbly received her award for being the May religious festivities Hermana Mayor in 2000, 2005, 2009, 2012, 2013, and on the coming May 24, 2015 procession.
The church, being considered a direct provider of valuable examples to the community in areas such as education, civic skills training, social services, voluntarism, enhancement of political stability, and a propagator of faith, plays a significant factor in the marital life of Rolando and Diwata Macuja. It was where they met, volunteered their services, and indefatigably serve.
Impressed with such outstanding accomplishment not a minute was frittered away. Without any trepidation, I immediately seek for Madame Zosima “Chuchi” Calingasan’s, one of the pioneering portals of CAM who was seated next to PACCAL founder-President Emeritus Linda Mayo, help to facilitate an interview with the couple. .. which the latter readily agreed without hesitation.
“It has become our other commitment, aside from each other, to serve and give back to the church and the community after having had received bountiful blessings,” Watsie, as Diwata is being addressed by her peers, readily declared after throwing her my initial inquiry.
“It’s actually just being spiritual but not really pious… just doing our share of humanitarian service,” Rolly appends instantaneously, making Watsie’s statement more profound.
Having a couple both actively involved in such religious activity comes uncommon to me. It’s usually the woman who’s more engrossed than her husband but this couple, for me, has somewhat set a phenomenal record.
Aside from the preliminary query, the couple, in their utmost attempt to persuade me, imperturbably segued to more worth-knowing benefits that they both obtain from their religious volunteerism.
“Many unexpected things happen from what we do. It cultivates friendly attitude and camaraderie, we develop a strong sense of community and social interaction, and it gives us sort of personal growth and fulfillment,” Watsie continuously enumerated.
Not to be left without a word said, Rolly enthusiastically said: “It’s our own way of thanksgiving for all the blessings we received… and it comes back tenfold!”
The Santacruzan, a Philippine religious tradition that dates back during the Spanish regime, has been an annual permanent fixture in Jersey City’s May calendar of events. Now on its 37th year, the event is carried out in partnership with PACCAL the objective of which, aside from its religious aspect, is primarily to educate the youth about the Filipino cultural heritage so that this centuries-old tradition be practiced, preserved and disseminated.
Gauging from their current stature makes one wonder what makes Rolly and Watsie augustly involved into such advocacy. How did they start? What keeps them driven in doing religious voluntarism?
The Macuja couple has an interesting romance story of their own. They were already both mature, had experienced early marital relationships, with families of their own and got separated, when they met and fall in love.
They often say it’s better late than having not even attempted to try it at all.
The same is pertinent to marriage…but not the marital ties that young lovers naively entered into sans the necessary essence of total commitment. Young marriages, most often than not, are usually blinded by mere aggressive emotions oblivious of the mounting perils awaiting in the offing. Unprepared and nonchalant they only set the marital union in struggling situation to make both ends meet, resolving immaturity quandaries and endlessly adjusting to audaciously sustain and save an abating relationship.
Comparatively speaking, a mature relationship is already founded on a well-developed vision having had shared interest, equipped with concrete ideas, and armed with well-oriented understanding about the dynamics of worldly existence.
If young love is just a feeling based from emotional assertion while marriage is a committed contract then a mature relationship is something that persistently entails hard work rooted in genuine intention.
Mature people are more likely to judge suitably with unambiguous mind-frame of preferences and needs. And what strappingly seals their relationship is their mutual understanding and respect for each other to build a throttlehold that solidifies their connubial affiliation.
Single mature people, like Rolly and Watsie, embarked on marriage which holds a precision key to a more established status most especially when both are religious. Having stalwartly adhered to their faith by putting God in the core of their marital life consistently gives them a greater enjoyable life, a blissful bond, and a more satisfying way of life regardless of worldly possessions or economic status. Their sanctimonious devotion to their Christian faith constantly provides them with the elements of positivity and emotional security.
Looking back, Rolly, born April 24, 1946, was an undergraduate of Architecture from the Mapua Institute of Technology but that didn’t hinder his ambitious ascend to improving his being. For 13 years (1967 – 1980) as a Sunlife of Canada affiliate, he decided to seek for the proverbial greener pasture in the US where he worked for the National Benefit Life from March of 1981 up to the time of his retirement in May of 2012. For 33 solid years, he assiduously held the same position as Senior Claims Examiner of New York State Disability.
Rolly was divorced with two daughters: Australia-based Nurse/Doctor Lizbeth, his first born, and Mariel, his youngest, a Physical Therapist married to Richard Manahan, also a PT, together they have an 18-year-old daughter.
On the other hand, Watsie, (born December 5, 1943 in Malolos, Bulacan) was the 3rd among 5 children of Dr. Vitaliado Arrieta from Cabanatuan and Paz Arrieta nee Policarpio from Nueva Ecija. She acquired her BSBA (Bachelor of Science in Business Administration) diploma from the University of the Philippines in 1968.
She worked for Pilipinas Bank as an International Officer from 1969 to 1986. A conscientious employee with a concealed fear of being an old maid, she decided to be a bride of Raymundo Escalante, an officemate, when she turned 30.
But not every wedded couple is blessed with a harmonious relationship. Hers was doomed to suffer after 11 years due to irreconcilable differences. Her brother’s persuasion for her to come to America gave her a new ray of hope. In September of 1986, Watsie started life anew with a job at the Philippine Mission where she was connected from November 1986 to January 1989.
Knowing her capacity for self-enhancement coupled with strong will and earnest drive, she mustered enough guts and moved to the Canadian Consulate as Immigration Program Assistant, a position she held for 23 years (January 23, 1989 to December of 2012). Tired and exhausted, she left her job with finality on December 2012 at the age of 69.
The world was indeed too small for the two hopelessly jilted romantics. They crossed path in 1997 when Rolly was introduced to Watsie during one of St. Mary’s Church’s events by his own daughter (Mariel) who, incidentally, was the former’s friend.
With the Barangay of the Virgin anniversary gala coming up where Watsie was an active member, she invited Rolly to be her partner that the latter didn’t repudiate. The significant evening inevitably rekindled the (almost) dying ember within them. Constant togetherness especially during Fil-Am Catholic Action –Resurrection Choir practices, where she sang alto and he was designated to bass, more than offered opportune times to better know each other until they successfully built a relationship fundamentally based on maturity and wisdom.
Their never-too-late quixotic saga was officially sealed and given a second lease of romance last December 29, 2003 in Las Vegas.
Some married people just age…but others mature in the real sense of the word. Some marriages are contented on just existing sans any purpose… and that they simply live to die. Rolly and Watsie’s enduring relationship was based on trust and faith which are the hallmark of maturity. .. and guaranteed to last ‘til their final breath.
Undoubtedly, they must have been born soulmates separated at birth but destined to be reunited later in life.
Indeed destiny is untold, uncertain, and unforeseeable. Fate had it that Rolly and Watsie should meet and led them nowhere but into such an enviable status where their lifetime commitment stands the test of time and defies all odds.
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