Mia and Monami’s relationship has stood the test of time, weathering both the challenges of a long-distance courtship and the complexities of cultural and societal biases. After ten years together and two years of marriage, they’ve built a life together, but their journey has been far from easy.

Their love story began when Mia lived in a remote village in the Philippines, far from the bustling cities of Manila. Monami, a tall Black American man who had just retired from the U.S. military, was traveling through the area when they were introduced. The pair immediately hit it off, and what began as a simple meeting blossomed into a deep and meaningful relationship.

However, even in the early days of their courtship, Monami and Mia faced skepticism and prejudice from those around them. Monami explained that one of the assumptions people made was that he had “paid” for Mia, a stereotype often applied to international relationships, especially when there’s a perceived imbalance of power. He stated, “People think I paid for her, but this is real love.” 

Monami recalled the first time he sent a photo of Mia to his mother. Her response was a mixture of concern and disbelief: “Check her birth certificate. Is that legal there?” For Monami, it was an awkward moment. His mother’s comment was based on a common stereotype: that couples with significant age and cultural differences, particularly ones involving older men and younger women, were often exploitative or fraudulent. This assumption weighed heavily on their relationship, causing moments of doubt and tension.

The scrutiny wasn’t limited to Monami’s family, either. His son, Elijah, from a previous relationship, also struggled to accept Mia. “My son was eight years old when we started our relationship, so at first, there wasn’t much there,” Monami shared.

“But as he got older, I could see that he was getting kind of upset.” As Elijah matured, he began to express his discomfort more overtly. During video calls, he would sometimes leave the screen when Mia entered the frame, signaling his unease with the situation. Conversations between Monami and Elijah also grew increasingly strained, with long stretches of time passing without any communication.

Today, Monami hopes that time and patience have changed things for the better. As he and Mia prepare to celebrate their ten-year anniversary with a vow renewal ceremony, Monami is hopeful that Elijah will attend and, perhaps, come to accept Mia more fully in his life. “I want him to see that Mia and I are happy, that this is a real partnership,” he said. The vow renewal is not just a celebration of their love but also a symbolic gesture of their resilience and commitment to one another despite the doubts and prejudices they’ve faced.

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(via Love Don’t Judge)