We don’t usually expect most high school or even college romances to turn into long-term relationships, let alone last the rest of our lives. But one couple has defied the odds: Thomas Howard, first developed feelings for his wife, Irene, when he was nine years old, and at age 93, he’s still happily married to her. The Longton, England, couple just celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary.
“When I first saw Irene, I thought, ‘What a lovely girl. She’s going to be my girl, this one,'” Thomas told The Mirror. “And my fondness for her grew since then.”
They grew up four houses apart, and Thomas befriended Irene’s brother. He’d constantly ask him to hang out, but it was really Irene that he wanted to see. Sadly, they had to say goodbye when Thomas went to fight in World War II, but the couple reunited and got married in 1945.
So what’s the secret to staying married 70 years, and what can we learn from their decades of happiness? According to Thomas, the answer is simple: “Throughout our lives together, we have only shown each other respect and good manners, and I think of lot of youngsters could learn a lot from that,” he said. “I’ve always respected Irene—she’s been my lifeline. I may have been wrong on certain issues, and so has she, but we always make up by the end of the day.”
Irene echoed the same sentiments: “Being polite and having good manners has been an important part of our lives. We’ve thought the world of each other.”
Though there’s no fool-proof way to figure out whether your relationship will last forever, we love that Thomas and Irene credit their success to something so simple. It’s a lovely message to suggest that the key to being married 70 years comes down to respect. We’re inclined to believe them. After all, they’re clearly experts.
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(Nana Kwesi)