My brother Raffy, who heads ABS-CBN Global, has a wonderful executive assistant, Mary Jane “MJ” Diago, whom we all love. She is a bundle of positive energy — always ready to help and with a gracious sincere smile. I had brought several banig from the women of Basey, Samar hit by typhoon Yolanda in the hope that they could eventually produce things for the American market. While chatting with her, a story unraveled, which was refreshing and yes, maybe even unique. Here goes.
MJ has had three partners in life and that is common. What is unusual is they all get along... like in a family kind of way. I know of men who have many partners, but women having many husbands is not common, especially if they feel like family.
MJ has five kids: a 19-year-old from Husband No. 1; three daughters from the second one; and a son from the current one.
MJ just gave birth last November to the cutest baby boy, Travis. Husband No. 1 visited together with his current wife. They all get along so well that the wife of No. 1 is the ninang of one of her daughters from Husband No. 2! Ninang? Isn’t that sweet?
Husband No. 2 also comes to visit her, bringing their three daughters whom he is currently caring for because of her pregnancy. Husband No. 2 really likes MJ’s current partner, saying that MJ is so lucky to have him. He is very appreciative of the way partner No. 3 takes care of their three daughters.
Her current partner has known and liked her since high school. He is Filipino-Irish, but he never married. So now he is finally with his love. Isn’t that romantic?
I just love it that they all get along — as in one big family.
I asked MJ for her thoughts on this. (In fact, it is through these baited reflections that I got her to agree to sharing her story!)
Here is one gem of wisdom: Life is short. We all deserve to be happy. Put things behind and move forward. It’s important to be positive. If one feels positive then what one gets back is also positive.
I asked her if getting married is important. She told me — and I agree — that ultimately it’s the love one feels that is important. Much more so than a piece of paper.
Facilitating this kind of family is one of MJ’s significant contributions to the world. MJ’s children are fortunate to be growing up in this “extended” family — with all its amplified feelings — and learning that it is love that counts. One can kind of project the kind of family they will set up and the kind of people they will grow up to be in an environment of love, despite the changes in their life situation.
The lesson here? Stay positive. Enjoy life. We choose the lens through which we view life. If our lens is clear, compassionate and positive, then we not only live happier lives, we affect everyone else around us in positive ways. And we crystallize the web of life and love that should be rightly flowing through the planet.
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I can be reached at regina_lopez@abs-cbn.com.