Thanks for your golden memories

KIND readers often show concern for me. The truth is, most of the time I feel very blessed, but sometimes problems (personal, too) do make me tired.

This week, I was delighted by an email from Hazel, who says: ‘ You must take a pasting emotionally, as you deal with what life throws at readers.’

So she decided to tell me about her golden wedding — ‘to show how things can work out in spite of obstacles’.

She sent me a copy of the speech she made at her celebration, explaining: ‘It is quite thought provoking getting stuff together for a celebration of 50 years — such a lot of memories and pics.

‘We had our ups and downs as the kids went their own ways and at times made wrong choices. We tried to protect them, not needing a crystal ball to see relationships were destined to hurt them . . .

‘We, too, have had our share of wrong decisions, not making what should have been a priority a priority. It is easy to be wise with hindsight.’

It is indeed. Anyway Hazel’s speech captivated me from the start: ‘I met John on July 12th in 1964. Dusty Springfield was in the charts at No 18 that week with I Just Don’t Know What To Do With Myself and the Animals were No 1 with their House Of The Rising Sun.’

Oh, the memories that brought back! I was still at grammar school then, playing those 45s on the Dansette record player in my bedroom. And then I read that Hazel married her John just one month after my own first marriage in 1968. That made my eyes prickle a little — in a good way.

Her lovely story unfolds — an ‘ordinary’ couple raising a family, enduring a heart attack and a cancer scare, working hard, growing older side by side.

She told their guests: ‘We have bickered, bantered and negotiated our way through 50-plus years and can talk to each other about anything.’ Wonderful!

Thank you Hazel, for thoroughly cheering me. And congratulations.