What’s the favorite topic of girl friends when they get together? What else but love!

So, for all you lovers out there who may want to learn a thing or two from women whose relationships have withstood the test of time, here are gems of wisdom:

Maritoni Rufino-Tordesillas:

“Love prevails simply because I have the humility to admit my mistakes and say sorry. We pray together and have God at the center of our lives. We take trips without the kids to rediscover the fun times we had. We have time for ourselves; we exercise, shop and the like together. And, of course, we have Happy Hour.”

Lizette Banzon-Cojuangco:

“Love prevails because we have shared many experiences. We have patience. We turn a blind eye on our weaknesses. We accept ourselves for who we are. We take leaps of faith.”

Crickette Yu-Tantoco:

“Love prevails because we reserve ‘alone time’ for ourselves. We strive for constant communication, having full access to each other’s lives and feelings and thoughts on a daily basis. We negotiate and learn to manage conflict. Should we disagree on certain matters, we align on the fundamentals—kids, money, religion. We maintain a healthy spiritual life. Trust, respect and honor are key. We give each other first priority.”

As for me, whenever I have a broken heart, my best friend Carmela will start singing The Carpenters’ song:

“You’ve got to love me for what I am, for simply being me

“Don’t love me for what you intend or hope that I will be.”

Then I will reply by singing with her:

“And if you’re only using me to feed your fantasy, you’re really not in love so let me go—I must be free!”