MANILA - More than 15 years ago, couple Lawrence and Lorry dela Rosa discovered that not only flowers bloom in Dangwa.
Lorry had just graduated from college in Baguio when her father sent her to Manila to help in their family's flower shop business.
Meanwhile, Lawrence, the son of a farmer, wanted to try his luck in Manila after a storm destroyed their crops in Cabanatuan, Nueva Ecija. He became a florist in his aunt's flower shop.
It was in 1999, when Lawrence first saw Lorry in Dangwa. It was love at first sight.
"Sobrang simple kasi niya e. 'Yun ang hinahanap ko sa isang babae Walang makeup. Walang arte sa katawan. Hindi ako nagdalawang-isip talaga na bigyan siya ng rose. Nahanap ko na 'yung babaeng para sa akin," he shared to "Rated K."
Like any young lady, Lorry admitted that he was surprised and irritated when Lawrence, then a stranger, suddenly gave her a rose.
"Nagulat ako, tapos nahiya. Medyo iritable rin kasi parang... 'sino ba 'to? nagbibigay ng bulaklak, di ko naman kakilala,'" she said.
After that, Lawrence said he decided to give Lorry roses every single day to express his love. And according to Lorry, he never missed a day.
Lawrence love for Lorry just kept on growing everyday. But little did he know that Lorry's love for him was secretly growing like a rose.
In 2000, Lorry could not hide her feelings anymore and confessed her love to Lawrence. But her father in Baguio, upon hearing the news, immediately called her back home.
A sad Lorry went back to Baguio without telling Lawrence. "Nagalit po ako, naiyak ako. Nagtampo po ako pero hindi ako umalis ng bahay."
Lawrence knew from the very first time that Lorry's family was doubtful of him. But it did not discourage him and instead, he used it as a motivation to work harder.
From working as a florist, he became a flower designer and eventually an event stylist. He also won flower arrangement contests to add to his market value. All these he did while he was searching for Lorry.
"Siyempre noong una, may kaba at takot. Nangangamba ako. Bakit bigla siyang nawala? Nagtanong-tanong ako bakit siya nawala. Akala ko katapusan na namin ni Lorry," he said.
When he received information that Lorry was back in Baguio, he immediately went there, met his lover's parents face to face and asked for her hand.
Lorry's parents saw Lawrence's good intentions for their daughter, and the rest, as they say, was history.
As a married couple, Lawrence and Lorry transformed their flower shop business into a small events styling company.
Now, they not only own flower shops, but also have their own farm where they grow their own roses, their family and create new happy memories. — Rated K, February 8, 2015
source: www.abs-cbnnews.com
