Love at its Greatest (Love Series #3)

Prologue: When is love the greatest?

"Oh?" Napabaling siya rito. Minnah is a year younger than him. She's a youth leader while Terrence volunteers. Dalawang taon na din silang magkakilala kaya't komportable na sila sa isa't isa.

Isa si Minnah sa mga nag-welcome kay Terrence nang bumalik na siya sa paniniwala. Nasa church sila ngayon. May inaasikaso silang special event para sa youth service bukas.

"Ano namang nakakahanga sa'kin?"

Her eyes sparkled as she looked up to him. She smiled. "You showed genuine happiness when you stopped pursuing Crystal Jane. Bihira ako makakita ng lalaking tunay ang saya na mag-let go."

Napasandal siya. Well, it stung a little. Ilang buwan din siyang nag-invest ng emosyon. But Terrence finally understood the love Jesus has been giving him endlessly—selfless love. Kung saan masaya si Crystal Jane, doon din pala siya pinakamasaya.

Mas nanaig pa ang ligaya sa puso ni Terrence nang malaman niyang noong nakaraang buwan ay ikinasal na si Crystal Jane sa lalaking pinakamamahal nito. He's just full of joy because he knew how happy she is, too.

Nakita niya pa si Crystal Jane at ang asawa nito last week sa Sunday service. They are all good.

"At saka isa pa..." dugtong ni Minnah. "Sa narinig kong testimony mo about your ex-girlfriend and the pain you went through? May ibang lalaki na na-trauma na magmahal ulit. Pero, hindi ikaw. I mean, of course you found Jesus, again. But we have brothers here na katulad ng pinagdaanan mo. At hanggang ngayon, hindi pa sila ready magmahal ulit. Pero ikaw? You are so brave to try again, Terrence!"

Napakamot siya sa kilay. Napangisi. "I don't know, too. May kanya-kanyang healing time ang mga tao. May matagal, may mabilis. Siguro ang sa akin lang..."

He straightened his back, lifted his chin, and closed his eyes. "Ang sa akin lang... masarap magmahal, Minnah. Kahit hindi naging maganda ang ending ng una kong relasyon, hindi ko puwedeng itangging naging masayang masaya ako dahil minahal at nagmahal ako."

"You're not afraid to get... hurt after loving, again?"

Nag-isip siya sandali. Slowly, he opened his eyes and he saw the cross that he's been gazing upon earlier.

Tinuro niya iyon. "Jesus got hurt. Because He loved and still loves us. I want that kind of love, Minnah. A love that can make you feel and very passionate. A love that can make you stronger..." He looked at her. "It's impossible to love without getting hurt. But it does not stop there, because love can heal you, again. You grow. And who does not want to grow in love?"

Napakurap-kurap si Minnah. Then, she looked at a different direction. "I pray that the Lord will give me a man who's not afraid to love like Jesus, Terrence....

"'Yung alam kung ano ang true meaning ng love. 'Yung hinding-hindi titiklop sa unang sakit ng pag-ibig. Na kung nasaktan siya ulit, paulit-ulit, ginagamit niya iyon para mas maging matatag siya..."

"I pray the same," Terrence agreed. "Baka kaya wala pa sila sa buhay natin ngayon, because God is still molding our characters. He probably wanted us to trust and wait more."

Bahagyang natawa si Terrence ng tila nasagot niya na rin ang pinagmumuni-muni niya kanina.

"Bago dumating ang right one, kailangang maging right one din tayo para sa kanila," Minnah wisely added.

He can only nod in total agreement.

"Terrence." She finally looked at him, again. "Diba, sabi nila iba pa ang greatest love sa true love? Since wala pa ang true love mo, can you say that Frances was your greatest love?"

"Honestly? I don't think so..." Bahagya siyang napailing. "She's my first love and our love were passionate, but too young and immature. Puro emosyon lang..."