Consistency is the key

What comes to your mind when you hear long-distance relationship? What about love at first sight? And how far would you go for love?These questions lingered in my thoughts the moment I had the privilege of meeting Larry and Cate.

Having a chat with them at Tokyo Plaza Garden Rooftop in Harajuku.

I met this wonderful couple during their trip to Japan in November 2025. Every person we encounter in life carries a story. Sometimes unexpected, sometimes profound, and theirs left a mark on me. Larry and Cate have been together for 19 years. Naturally, the first question I asked was, “What’s the secret to keeping a relationship strong for that long?”

With warm smiles and without hesitation, they answered “Patience, Trust, and Teamwork.”

Let’s start with trust. Back when Cate was still in university, they were in a long-distance relationship. Every weekend, one of them would travel just to see the other. The way they described the public transportation they used back then made me laugh, they called it “50/50.”

“Fifty-fifty? What do you mean?” I asked.

They said, “Fifty percent chance you arrive safely… fifty percent chance you get into trouble.”
And yet, neither distance nor inconvenience stopped them from choosing each other, again and again. Their consistency, the quiet commitment of showing up became the foundation of everything that followed.

The couple conquered one of the 100 famous mountains in Japan, Mt. Tsukuba Ibaraki.

Now, let’s talk about patience and teamwork. Today, they are raising three lovely kids. A big and beautiful family. What keeps everything running smoothly is their partnership. Watching them, even briefly, you can see the unspoken coordination, the mutual respect, the small gestures that say more than words.

Larry, in particular, struck me as a genuine example of how a man should treat his partner. Their boys are lucky they’re growing up with a living model of love, respect, and responsibility. No wonder Cate fell in love with him.

But the greatest lesson I learned from this couple came from a simple sentence they shared:

“Be the strength to each other’s weakness.”

Don’t judge your partner. Don’t compete with them. Be the support they need, and let them be yours. That, in its simplest form, is love.

Meiji Jingu Shrine Tokyo Japan

To Larry and Cate, cheers to both of you. Your story is a reminder that love isn’t built on grand gestures, but on the small, consistent choices that say, “I’m here, and I choose you.”

You are truly an inspiration.

CPTMOW

Jeric (MOSES)