Reflections by ALFEN
Something, or numerous glues of values of resilience, tolerance, understandings – and love, kept Harry and Hetty together as legally happily wedded man – and – wife for fifty-four years.
Hetty graduated from Teachers College at 24 in 1966. Sheer persistence, then financial assistance grudgingly accepted when her surviving parent fell ill, plus a little charm from Harry who even joined her church, resulted in the two getting married at the General Register Office (GRO) afterwards. When Harry turned a ripe 21. This means that today Harry is 75 and his loving wife Hetty his senior at 78.
Being loving realists on this Christmas Day 2020, the two after their pepperpot and baked chicken and fish lunch, know that their reminiscences couldn’t always capture non-stop blissful wedded lives. Ups and downs there were aplenty. Especially the downs when Harry decided upon a seaman’s life when he was around 40.