What is LOVE? So many ingredients: Warmth, Compassion, Understanding, Forgiveness, Charity. Defining love is challenging as it’s often seen as an abstract concept. We asked a couple at Stowford House to share what love means to them, giving it a tangible essence.
Peter and Jean met each other in 1954 at their workplace. Jean was a typist, and Peter was an Engineer. For Pete, love blossomed almost instantly; it was his calling, and he devoted his whole life to looking after her and loving her very much. Jean says, at first, she saw faults, but after a while, she grew to love him very much too. They were married in 1955.
They moved into a flat that a good friend had loaned to them to live and had their first daughter, Linda. After 4 years, they bought their first house in London and had Pauline. They moved to Abingdon and enjoyed what Abingdon had to offer. Sadly, they lost Pauline to MS in 2022, and they were both devastated. They have been married for 68 years and still love each other as much as they did when they married. United in grief, they were both very strong for each other with family support.
We asked them if they had any advice for the younger generation, and they replied that youngsters need to ‘listen’ first. They pretend to know everything, but love is not about ‘knowing’; it’s about ‘understanding,’ being patient, and practicing give and take. So, what is the secret of love? The answer is ‘Faith.’ Love comes naturally; it cannot be forced; it follows the course of events. You can see it, hear it, and touch it. We have just witnessed it! It was in front of us all this time: two people holding hands and smiling at each other.
When you watch the elderly talk about their loved ones, the reaction is clear to most. However long they have been together, love shines through, expressed in their thoughts and memories. The joy on their faces tells a thousand stories of both respect and friendship.
In concluding this beautiful love story, we reflect on Pete’s heartfelt words: ‘You are my forever love, and I’m so grateful to have found you.’
Their enduring love, filled with patience, understanding, and joy, serves as a timeless inspiration for generations to come. Love, in its purest form, is a journey shared, cherished, and celebrated, forever etched in the hearts of those who experience it.
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