Discoveries during the Discovery Weekend

Photo by Ritchie Ferrer Linao

When my wife-to-be said we should join the Discovery Weekend, I was hesitant at first. Our relationship was okay. We already had the Pre-Cana Seminar, a requirement for the wedding. So, what’s the use of joining another seminar? Despite my battling thoughts, I quickly said yes to her request. She was so excited telling me about it and I didn’t want to hurt her feelings.

Secretly, I did my little investigation hoping to find something I could use to discourage her into joining. I ended up being “infected” by her excitement. All of the former participants said great things about it. After going through it, I would say that it is a must for couples to join the Discovery Weekend, especially if they are truly seriously serious about their relationship.

During the Discovery Weekend, I discovered a lot of things. Here are some of them:

Just because it appears trivial doesn’t mean it is not important. I think all couples would agree that most of the causes of fight are trivial in its context. Some couples would fight over how to squeeze the toothpaste tube or how to roll the tissue. I thought that mature people would never do that. I was 100% sure that it won’t happen to us because my partner and I are both mature and logical people. Lo and behold, we fought over little things, which I am now embarrassed to even think about it. And I have a feeling that it would still happen again in the future. But with what we’ve learned from the Discovery Weekend, I know we will handle it so much better than before.

There is more to our relationship than just the two of us. It’s more than just love. It’s more than just feelings and emotions. It’s more than just being logical. It’s more than just romance and bed of roses. It is complex. Yet, the complexity of marriage and relationship is wrapped with the simplest of things, which both may sometimes take for granted.

We don’t have to reinvent the wheel. There are no identical relationships. What works for one couple may not work for another. Experience is the best teacher. Though all these statements are true, it doesn’t mean we should start absolutely from scratch. We can learn a lot from other couples who had been through what we are about to go through. We can use their experiences as a guide. We may still need to figure out what works for our relationship. However, it would not be as hard as trying to operate a complicated machine without a user’s manual.

So many genuinely good people still exist in this world. I met some of them in the Discovery Weekend. They get tired, yet they find energy in helping others. They get embarrassed by their faults, yet they share the wisdom to bless others. They get hurt, yet they are open to initiate reconciliation. They are not paid, yet they are willing to give their all for those who need help.

Honestly, I was nervous that my partner and I would discover something that would make us decide to call off the wedding. But if we did, it would be for the best. It would save us both a lifetime of trouble. Apparently, we even discovered more reasons to get excited to start our life together.

Forever, my partner and I are grateful to be part of Discovery Weekend Cebu Batch 37!