*Dr. Rodolfo John Ortiz Teope, PhD, EdD, DM
I still remember the first time I came across this play on words. It was written on a small piece of paper, tucked inside a book I borrowed from a friend. It said:
Fri(END), Boyfri(END), Girlfri(END), Bestfri(END). Everything has an END.
At first, I laughed. It seemed like one of those witty quotes people post on social media just to catch attention. But the more I thought about it, the more it sank into me. There was truth in it, a truth I had lived without even realizing it.
I’ve had my share of friendships that ended. In school, I had a best friend I thought would always be around. We shared snacks, secrets, and even dreams about the future. We promised that nothing would come between us. But life did what life always does—it moved us into different directions. The daily phone calls became weekly, the weekly messages became yearly greetings, and then, one day, silence. That silence became the “end” that was hidden all along in the word “friend.”
Love was no different. I once believed a relationship would last forever. She was my world then, and I was sure we were meant to grow old together. But forever lasted only as long as our patience, and when our paths began to clash, love gave way to distance. It was painful, but the word itself had warned me—boyfri(END), girlfri(END). Even in its spelling, romance carries a reminder that sometimes, no matter how much we try, it comes to an end.
Even best friends, those who feel like family we chose for ourselves, are not immune to endings. I had people I thought would stand by me in every storm. But when the waves grew stronger, some of them let go. That’s the cruel honesty of the word bestfri(END)—sometimes, even the ones we consider closest can walk away.
But family—family is different. And this is where the words touched me the most.
Family is where I run back to when the world outside collapses. I think of my mother waiting up for me when I got home late, worried but relieved the moment she saw me safe. I think of my father, working harder than his body allowed, just so I could go to school. I think of my siblings who, even in our endless fights, were the first to defend me when someone else tried to hurt me.
And when I read that fam(ILY) carries three hidden letters that spell “I LOVE YOU”, I realized it wasn’t just clever—it was true. Family has always been love, in all its messy, imperfect, but unconditional form.
It doesn’t mean family is perfect. We fight, we misunderstand, we hurt each other sometimes. But no matter what, family is the one place where love doesn’t expire. A friend may forget you, a lover may leave you, but family—whether by blood or by choice—is the love that endures.
Looking back, I smile at how a simple play on words opened my eyes. Life has taught me that almost everything ends: friendships fade, relationships break, seasons change. But family? Family is forever. Hidden inside its letters is a message more powerful than any ending: I LOVE YOU.
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Dr. Rodolfo “John” Ortiz Teope is a distinguished Filipino academic, public intellectual, and advocate for civic education and public safety, whose work spans local academies and international security circles. With a career rooted in teaching, research, policy, and public engagement, he bridges theory and practice by making meaningful contributions to academic discourse, civic education, and public policy. Dr. Teope is widely respected for his critical scholarship in education, management, economics, doctrine development, and public safety; his grassroots involvement in government and non-government organizations; his influential media presence promoting democratic values and civic consciousness; and his ethical leadership grounded in Filipino nationalism and public service. As a true public intellectual, he exemplifies how research, advocacy, governance, and education can work together in pursuit of the nation’s moral and civic mission.
