50 years ago, Tom and I moved in together. We had no money, jobs, skills, or education. In fact, at 19 years-old we had hardly any brains at all!
When we decided to give it a go we had been an on again, off again couple for two years; never exclusive, rarely in the same city at the same time. I was indulging my creative imagination, seeking revelations, finding my self. Tom was a traveler, a hitchhiker, an adventurous Lost Boy. We were perfect for each other!
Ours has been an alternative love story, complicated and edgy. It isn't a simple romance, or even a particularly appropriate tale to tell young, impressionable grandchildren. The late 1960s and early 1970s were outside of time for some of us. But for crying out loud, we beat the odds.
Congratulations on lasting fifty years! Not many do. We hit the fifty year mark this year too. Little did we know what kind of world we'd be in fifty years down the road. I hope you have many more.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Molly! Congrats to you.
DeleteCongratulations, you are right to not include details of your early life together , grandchildren , the story out of context, out of historical perspective, will likely not understand, I do! We have lived the life!
ReplyDeleteHappy 50th Anniversary of your very long-lasting love.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Robin.
DeleteThank you so much for this beautiful winter solstice commitment story of you two as 19 year olds that led to 50 years together with children and grandchildren.
ReplyDeleteMany thanks, am. You are good and kind.
DeleteHappy Annivserary!!! Love and friendship will always last. :-)
ReplyDeleteSo very true.
DeleteFifty years, that's quite something. I like "complicated and edgy". I guess our own relationship (almost 40 years) could be described likewise. When I met Jenny at the age of 31 I had more or less found myself, but ten years earlier she would have encountered a rather confused and uncertain individual. And yes, the late 60s and early 70s were pretty wild!
ReplyDeleteCongrats to you on a long and happy relationship!
DeleteHappy 50th Anniversary, Colette! Didn't it fly by? Wishing you many more happy, healthy years together!
ReplyDeleteIt really did. Many thanks.
DeleteThe winter solstice! Perfect time. Well done.
ReplyDeleteThanks!
DeleteCongratulations! Fifty years is an accomplishment. I wish I'd been more aware in the late '60s and early '70s -- I think I'd have loved that time period.
ReplyDeleteIt was a glorious time.
DeleteCongratulations. Wonderful, probably hard work at times, but so worth it.
ReplyDeleteI cannot imagine choosing any other life, or life partner.
DeleteAlternative to what? I ask. But then perhaps my nuptials were on the formal side. I escaped the moues (look it up if you don't know) of sulky maidens in the North, ended up in Paradise south of the river in London (just off Clapham Common to be precise), met VR - then VT - within a month, became engaged within another month or so (Bought the ring from the Queen's jewellers on Regent Street). Married on October 1, 1960, and honeymooned across the UK in atrocious weather on a scooter I borrowed from my Mother.
ReplyDeleteI don't think we ever thought we were perfect for each other during the first fifty years. Only during the latter ten years (Yes, 2020 - with all its glories! - is our sixtieth) have we grudgingly - and monosyllabically - admitted as much. Feeling our age, yes. Feeling our good luck even more so.
Oh for a muse of fire, that would ascend
The brightest heaven of invention. WS
Still ineffably pretentious, as you can see. But envying you your alligators.
Alternative as in not your run of the mill bourgeoisie. Although as we grew older, we became a bit more bourgeois simply because our daughter demanded normalcy. One probably comes across this term more in the States.
DeleteHappy 60 years together. It does sound like your two are well suited, and that's the best luck.
You would LOVE the alligators.
Fifty years of life together is an achievement, congratulations to you both. We are a bit ahead of you in years and still in love and able to make each other laugh (even though I've heard most of his jokes before!)
ReplyDeleteWe are the lucky ones!
Many more years of alternative love story for both of you. Happy Anniversary.
ReplyDelete