Happy 70th anniversary to my wonderful parents. This photo above was taken in 1994, the year my daughter was born, and on the morning after she walked across the den of their home in St. Lucia for the first time. It was Christmas morning, the second to last one my dad would spend with us. Though we didn't know it yet, his cancer, which had been in remission for almost a decade, had already returned, quietly infiltrating his spine. This is one of my favorite photos of my parents, an uncomplicated happy memory, when our babies were little, and everything was in a good place for a tranquil moment in time. My dad was 71 and my mom almost 73 in this photo. I reflect often that truly I am among the lucky ones, to have been raised by these two, who were deeply and romantically and playfully in love with each other until their last breath, and I imagine, wherever they are, even now. There they are on their wedding day, June 11, 1949, below.
Beautiful photos and, yes you were lucky.
ReplyDeleteTwo wonderful photos ~ your mother is stunning...I can see where you and your daughter received your beauty! I, too, am one of the lucky ones to have had the great gift of parents who remained in love throughout their lives. It’s obvious through your blog that your children possess and appreciate that precious gift, also.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful, both your parents and your memories.
ReplyDeleteXoxo
Barbara
"... deeply and romantically and playfully in love with each other until their last breath ..."
ReplyDeleteMy sense is that your parents' love didn't die with them. It lives on. How else can I explain the joy that these photos evoke?
Beautiful memories...
ReplyDeletePlayfully in love, that is so perfect! They did a good thing, bringing you into this realm of existence! Seems that exceptional folks bring about more exceptional folks, as it should be- carry on- you and your exceptional family.
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful couple. You were blessed to have them as parents.
ReplyDeleteOh my gosh, this makes my heart ache. Such sweetness and all things good.
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing this. You look so much like your mother!
ReplyDeleteYour parents are so beautiful. I love their love. I love how you love them always.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful pictures, R. I love that your parents are looking into each other's eyes in their wedding photo, as opposed to looking at the camera. And yes, I think you are right about being fortunate to have a good marriage modeled for you. So many don't have that, and by the time they (maybe) figure it out, their children haven't had the good example either, and on and on.
ReplyDelete"Everything was in a good place for a tranquil moment in time" - yes! I think this about some of our old photos, too ... "before the illness, before the car accident, before the loss" ... thank you for describing this so perfectly.
Some terrific family memories! Both pictures are wonderful. It's hard for me to imagine parents who were deeply, romantically and playfully in love. My parents (who divorced when I was 8) were not!
ReplyDeleteyou are so lucky. my parents stayed married but their marriage ended when I was 13 or so when my mother was named as the 'other woman'. nothing but anger and bitterness after that.
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