Activating My Facebook Again

For months and months, I have been constantly asked to re-activate my Facebook, but I never found a compelling reason to… until this post by Humans of New York.

HONY - Warren

My cousin sent me a link via Viber and this was what I saw. Humans of New York (HONY) featuring Warren. MY Warren.

 

 

Yep. That’s me. The girl that was chased to the airport minutes before entering the security check– the second biggest surprise of my 2014. A couple of months later, he came to visit me in Manila.

Now our motto is Mike Ross’ line from Suits, when asked by Rachel Zane what to do should they face a long distance relationship: “We’ll beat the odds.” πŸ™‚

CentralPark 1836x3264CentralPark 3264x1836-004

 

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The comments are so sweet, so supportive and inspiring, and yes, so funny!

 

HONY - Comments

 

As of writing, this Facebook post has 199,047 Likes, 7,260 Shares and 5,935 Comments. Instagram has 49,796 Likes and 1,886 Comments. Wow.

Thank you Humans of New York, not just for the 15-minute fame, but for reminding me that yes, something extraordinary happened to me early this year– I got an answered prayer, which I would love to call my God’s Best. πŸ™‚

 

PS. Just a minor clarification: I did NOT ask if the relationship was serious after 2 weeks. We were on a conversation deciding whether to pursue it or not after I go back home. πŸ™‚

 

You may want to also read Love Story Part 1 and Love Story Part 2

 



123 comments
  1. Hi Janina! I’m one of those who followed this HONY post for hours waiting for an update πŸ™‚ And, errrr, finding u here means that I “researched” well, LOL. I’m quite embarrassed. BUT, I’m happy your guy did what he did πŸ™‚ Everyone following hony was so over the moon to have u tagged/informed about it!

    Anyway, God has indeed given you the best, and perhaps at the best time possible too! I’m very happy for you and Warren β™‘β™‘β™‘ May God bless both of you more with love, faith, endurance and hope.

    • Hi Jel, thank you for such kind and inspiring words. πŸ™‚ God bless you too and fill you more with blessings and love you can share to others! πŸ™‚

      • Like many I also looked back to see if there was an update on the day this was posted and JUST NOW 7:45 in the Morning here in Northern California was telling my husband about this story and found that you have indeed “been tagged” LOL It was an entertaining day and people were cracking me up πŸ˜€ You truly have the support of the “WHOLE WORLD” <3

  2. How wonderful, I talkef with my future husband on the phone for 3 weeks. Then we met and 5 weeks later we were engaged. 2 amazing kids and 20 years later, my head still spins thinking about it. Of it works, it works!

      • Here’s another one then: I met my husband online back when I was 17 and he was a few years older. We talked on the phone for a few weeks, he flew out to meet me (we lived 5,000 kilometers apart, in two different countries), and we’ve been together ever since. This year will be our seventeenth anniversary, we have two kids, and we’re still constantly stunned with gratitude about how well we get along and love each other.

        The long-distance part was brutal (it was ten months before I could move and then years and years of immigration-related hassles), but it was so, so worth it.

        Today is my birthday (34 years old, so my fella and I have been together half my life!) and after watching the drama unfold on HONY yesterday, seeing this post was a lovely way to start my birthday! Thank you for writing it. πŸ™‚

        My best wishes to you and Warren, and I wish for the two of you to have a life together, happy and in love! <3

        • Thank you for sharing, Robin. Your love story is inspiring too. πŸ™‚ Happy Birthday and more love and blessings to you and your family!

  3. I’m one of the people whose comments you highlighted above. Just wanted to say you and your Warren brought a smile to my face today. Good luck, you crazy kids πŸ™‚

    • Thank you, Trinity. πŸ™‚ We had a lot of common friends who wanted to set us up back in 2010 but didn’t work out. I went to NY last January and he came to the Philippines in April. πŸ™‚

  4. The story of you and Warren is the reason I follow HONY! Nothing beats a love story like your’s and I’m so glad he shared it! Love conquers all!

  5. long distance relationships can work: when you communicate honestly and search for ways to be part of each others’ lives even though when far apart. Mine already works for four and a half years on two different continents. And: I’m so happy your sweetheart wasn’t stuck in traffic when he raced to the airport! Good luck you two!

  6. I loved the HONY post, but even more I’m loooovvving coming back again to see all of the excited comments on it on facebook, everyone rooting so hard for you two! The world is wishing you the best! XOXOX
    Julie in Milwaukee WI

  7. Such a lovely story. I was waiting too – in Ireland. I’m delighted that you and Warren were part of the world-wide phenomenon that HONY ignites. Blessings to you, and may you live with love the rest of your life.

    • Thank you, Hillary. That has always been my prayer, and it was such a surprise that it’s his too. God bless you!

  8. I’ve been following this all day! And yes, I’m in your snapshot above Lol. Its good to see the support for love. Being in a long distance relationship can be difficult but its also one of the best ways to give your partner complete trust and commitment. I hope nothing but the best for the two of you! πŸ˜€

  9. Of course, you don’t owe the world an explanation. And you are entitled to your privacy. But this is the most wonderfully romantic thing I’ve come across in a long time and I wish you both all the best.

  10. What a wonderful love story! I bet this weekend nasa Jessica Soho na kayo πŸ™‚
    Good luck! πŸ™‚ Stay happy and in love πŸ™‚

  11. This has truly brightened my day. First, the picture and “his” story were so cute and I loved how HONY wrote it “exactly” as he said it!! Then, it seemed like the whole world was on pins and needles waiting for him to tag and the “mystery girl” to be known. Now, here you are and everyone is so gracious with their good wishes … it restores my faith in people. When it comes down to it, everyone is hoping that LOVE will still save the day! Bless you two in whatever way this goes … You can always say that for at least one day you had the Whole World waiting for you!

  12. This is sooo awesome! I love it! I saw the HONY post this morning and had to come back to see if you had been found. YEAH!!!

  13. i am a HONY fan and i read almost every picture that Brandon posts everyday. Your bf’s story got me so excited and i was like following every thread from am to pm waiting and looking for the tag! Then i saw ur bestfriend’s comment and she tagged you, i asked her ‘sya ba talaga?’ Hahaha when i woke up today, immediately grab my mobile ang check for updates. Tada! Im here at ur blog, hehe God bless you Janina and Warren! Keep praying, keep the flames of love burning. Proud to say my husband is God’s gift to me too, an answered prayer. xoxo

  14. Wishing you both the best πŸ™‚ I went out for a couple hours and returned to check if the photo was tagged yet. Great reason to reactivate Facebook!

  15. I had to keep hitting “previous comments” until I found out who you were! What a beautiful love story…I wish you all the best. Life is hard, relationships and marriage are hard, but true love always prevail! There will always be people and circumstances that try to break you apart, but work hard…don’t ever give up, and you will be together forever. And there’s my piece of advice from my little corner of the universe lol.

    P.s. Brandon has inspired me in more ways than I ever imagined. He’s amazing πŸ™‚

  16. Just want to say that what he said made me smile and then reading the comments and seeing someone list this blog, my smile became so big, my mouth hurt! This is something you definitely will never forget. AND about your comment about long distance relationships, I have been in one (me in America, him in Serbia) since 2008, with one break up for a year. I have to admit that it is hard, but if there is love and trust, then it can most definitely work. And one true advantage is that boredom and routine never happens due to it. Good luck to both you and Warren.

  17. Making the world believe in love again in one photo and a wonderful love story. πŸ™‚ Be blessed with the love that everyone feels right now, all over the world, no less. πŸ™‚

  18. Fellow Filipina here. This happened to me, too! Met him while we were both on vacation in Cebu, spent 2 days together then he went back to the US, I went back to Manila. We spoke online nearly everyday after that, sometimes for as long as 8 hours! He visited me again after 3 months, tried meeting each other somewhere in Asia, every 3 months for about a year and a half until I finally moved to the US last year.

    Yes, it’s been difficult and expensive but we’ve survived! I wish you two all the best!!! It’s going to be hard–with many ups and downs but lotsss of kilig moments too–but remember, it is all worth it!

  19. I have been following HONY for quite sometime now and was so happy to see this kind of story πŸ™‚ I can’t keep the smile off my face while I am browsing through excited, positive and happy comments to Warren’s story. To you and to Warren, thank you for the smile. I am so happy for you two! By the way, is he also a Filipino? I am looking forward to see more of my kababayans on HONY page.

  20. I am of of HONY’s Pinoy fans and the moment I saw that picture, I knew he’s Filipino. And the story is just so nice. I actually waited for the tag. Haha. I wish you two the best. May God bless you. Go beat the odds! πŸ™‚

  21. Hey i am from India,very touching and such a wonderful love story.Be crazy and have lovely life ahead,Congratulations… πŸ™‚
    God bless you guys.

  22. I looooved this whole thing! I am also in a long distance relationship… very similar to yours actually. NYC/QC! I can relate lol! Been together for 4yrs now (he was actually my first crush… the neighborhood kid who I reunited with via FB haha who says social media is a cancer?) and if you guys know what you want (each other), it’ll work. Frequent flyer miles are awesome. You tend to appreciate each other more when you are together and argue less because of that realization of how precious each moment with each other is. We are getting married next year back in PI. I wish you luck and much happiness as well!

  23. When you wrote “MY Warren” — I cried.

    Both you and Warren are strangers to me and others out there but we connect simply because we’ve been there. I’ve been there.

    Wishing all the best and prayers to both of you.

    Much love,
    Nazirah from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

    • Thanks so much, Nazirah. Glad to find people who can relate with our story. Wishing you all the best. πŸ™‚

  24. What a sweet story! I am rooting for you both with all my heart. I hope to see you in a photo together on HONY one day soon. Lots of love from Los Angeles, California!

  25. this made our day . well HONY is one of my favorite fb pages, gives me a good dose of humanity . my friend were texting me like crazy , a pinoy is in HONY. pinoy ftW!

    nakakatuwa talaga!

    love,
    Michelle from Cebu

    • Thanks, Michelle! Kami rin talaga nagulat! It was taken around March, didn’t know he’d be posted talaga. God’s blessing. πŸ™‚ Take care!

  26. This story made my day! I am happy to see that everything is working out for you two, i wish you all the best and keep us up to date when the wedding is near hihi!

    Greetings from Holland πŸ™‚

  27. Rooting for you both to make this work!!! All the best, all the hugs and hopes and prayers and best wishes to you!!!

  28. I stalked the post for hours too, u guys are really cute together. Hope it works out for the best, love from Iran <3

  29. YAY!!!! So excited to finally meet you. lol. Well, sort of. You two make a beautiful couple and lots of luck to you both. πŸ™‚

  30. Eureka! hahaha! I reposted HONY on my FB timeline yesterday wondering where’s the tag? Curiosity led me to this site.

    Best wishes to both of you.

  31. I love your PS…typical guy!! Haha!! Beautiful Story, makes my heart swell. May yous be forever happy πŸ™‚

  32. Ahh! Your guys’ story makes me so happy (I’m a hopeless romantic haha) and I only hope I can find love like this. Best of luck!

    • Thank you, Susan. πŸ™‚ We truly appreciate your kind words. Yes, I believe you will find this kind of love. Good luck to you too!

  33. Hi!
    I am the one who suggested his coworkers to “Hack his account and tag her already!” on the facebook post and then proceeded to stalk the Instagram post!

    And that was creepy! :/

    Sorry but you just made me believe in love again. I hope I get something that moving and inspiring someday πŸ™‚

    Hope it all works out for the best πŸ˜€

    • Hahaha! Thank you, Sania. I do believe all of us are bound to find an inspiring kind of love– I wish you the best of luck in finding and keeping yours. God bless!

  34. Beautiful and such an inspiring story! There are so many of us looking for reasons to end relationships for the sake of not having to work so hard. It’s refreshing to see there IS true love out there and people wanting to “go the distance”. This makes me smile, but also makes me a little sad because I lost a long distance relationship because I was from the states and he was from Bahrain. I do, however, believe that if two people are meant to be together then nothing in the universe can get in between them.

    Good luck to you and Warren! God bless you two!! πŸ™‚

    • Thank you, Bee. I have experienced a failed long distance relationship as well, but I do agree with what you said: when 2 people are meant to be together, nothing in the universe can get in between them. I also wish you the best of luck in life and love. God bless! πŸ™‚

  35. Your story made me teary and that one guy was right with his comment, that your story is far more greater than those shown at Love Actually. I am in a LDR, too for four years now and we really managed to beat the odds (and still beating the odds). I know you guys can, as well! May the both of you be filled with more love and joy as you go on with your journey as a couple. In behalf of everyone, thank you for inspiring others who are hesitant with LDRs.

    xoxo
    R

    • Thank you, Rachelle! I am glad to know there are those out there who are beating the odds! You inspire me too, just by merely sharing that. Thank you as well, and God bless you and your boyfriend!

  36. Hello Ms. Janina! How are you na po? I hope you still remember me from 2011/2012? I’m not sure. I had my OJT at Pacsports under you po! OMG this was so weird, I follow HONY on Facebook and people started posting your link on the guy’s post and when I checked out your page, I immediately freaked out talaga because the last time I saw you, you were someone else pa. Sorry if we’ve lost contact na po after my OJT, I was planning to visit you pa naman po but I think you’re not with Pacsports anymore. Anyway, best wishes to you and the guy on the HONY page! Take care! πŸ™‚

    • Hi Wi! Hahaha! Of course I do remember you! πŸ™‚ Just go visit anytime, I am still with Pacsports. God bless!

  37. I cracked up at the original photo and so happy to see this post. I’m now setting my aspirations of relationship finding to Janina level. The good news is, if it happens…it will be amazing! The bad news is, the chances of me having that happening are quite slim. Go big or go home! Er wait…Go big…then go home….have a long distance relationship….and then off and on go big, because you’re amazing. That’s it! What an incredible story. I’m sure it’s surreal to have lived it. Congrats!

    • Thanks, Marianne! I am sure a wonderful kind of love will happen to you– we just need to really really believed it. After getting hurt so many times, i never lost hope for true love, and I am glad that it came at God’s perfect time in my life. I wish you well. God bless and take care!

  38. So so so so so happy! I followed this post for hours stalking if you had been tagged yet! >o< Kya! β™₯

    Long distance relationships = normal relationships + a littttle bit more faith. In the words of the awesome Led Zeppelin: β€œSo tonight you better stop and rebuild all your ruins, because peace and trust can win the day despite all your losing.” ^_^

    Don't lose! give up!
    Make it work! πŸ˜€

    Good luck guise! πŸ˜€

    • Wow, thank you so much for this! Love your inspiring words! I wish you all the best as well, in life and in love! πŸ™‚

  39. Thank you for sharing your beautiful story! πŸ™‚ It gives us hope!
    Love & blessings! πŸ™‚
    ~ from India

  40. I just saw Warren’s picture on HONY and had to scroll through the comments to see what happened! I was happy enough to see someone tagged this post. Thank you so much for sharing your story! I’m a hopeless romantic and I just eat this stuff up! So much better when it happens in real life. Congratulations! I hope for the best for you both! <3 <3 ~ From Seattle, Washington

    • Hi Leila! Thanks so much. πŸ™‚ I also never knew there was a “hopeless romantic” side of me until he came. Haha. I wish you the best, in life and in love. Take care!

  41. I absolutely love reading HONY love stories and got even more excited and kilig when I saw that the guy was Filipino! I scrolled and scrolled to see if he tagged her FB, just curious to see if I knew her (or at least had mutual friends)!

    Kudos to the two of you and I wish you all the best. πŸ™‚

    Also, something really odd that I can’t seem to get past – why is your FB mobile in Thai? or some language? LOL!

    • Hi Angela! Thank you thank you. πŸ™‚

      Haha! Funny you noticed. I was in Thailand when I was sent the link, and I was also there when I re-activated my account. Facebook suddenly seemed so new I didn’t know what to click to translate! Hahahaha!

      I wish you the best too. πŸ™‚

  42. Hi, Janina. Warren’s story is one of my favorite posts of Humans of New York. I was also one of those people who are waiting for him to tag you in that photo of his. Funny, I was scrolling through my Facebook’s Activity Log this morning and saw his photo again. I wondered, “Did he ever tag her?” I clicked the photo but I was hesitant to read the comments because they are a lot. But luckily, people are so supportive and posted a link which directs to this. Glad I stumbled upon that photo again today and found out that you have a happy relationship with him. All the best for you both.

    • Hi Nin, thanks so much for your kind words. I wish you the best too, in life and in love. πŸ™‚

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