Diamond anniversary: small body, big voice, great occasion
On the weekend I was privileged to attend a diamond wedding celebration. Daphne and John have been married for sixty years!
Both were born in Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe). Before coming to Canada, they married in London and honeymooned in Paris. At yesterday's party we pored over the old wedding album once more.
During their long life together, they raised four children, providing them with pets, camping trips, and other adventures as well as a comfortable home with a fabulous garden.
In their working lives, Daphne was a nurse and John an engineer. They travelled the world and kept contact with friends in many countries.
Over the years, Daphne has raised orchids, Abyssinian cats, and bees for her garden. She has made many beautiful quilts and is also a voracious reader; in fact we met over books.
John played clarinet in a band well into his eighties, and regularly made wine and bread. Both are great cooks, and they've hosted many dinners over the years. Their golden wedding party, with its great food, music, fellowship, song and swimming, was held in their own home. It was the best large gathering I have ever attended, bar none.
Recently John and Daphne moved to a smaller home, and yesterday's celebration was hosted by their great friends Ben and Hidemi, and organized by Sharon. Guests talked ate, drank, sang and spilled out into the host couple's lovely Japanese style garden.
One memorable image was of Robyn, their musically talented daughter, as she sang a newly composed song to her parents. Watching her at the piano, her small bare foot pumping the pedal as her voice soared brought tears of joy and wonder to my eyes.
As Robyn said in her tribute, although these two people have faced many challenges in their long life together, they've risen above difficult circumstances with courage, love and joie de vivre.
Warmest congratulations, you two!