Long marriages are a bit of a tradition in my family, none more so than my parents who having married in 1944 were parted only by death as their vows had required of them some fifty six years later.
I often love to browse through their 'Lover's log'. This is a delightful book in which they had completed sections such as 'What first attracted you to her/him?' It also asked that they give each other scores out of ten for such qualities as 'good looks', 'obstinacy' and so on.
They had their ups and downs like most couples but everyone who knew them could sense the close bond of love which united them. I remember my grandmother once remarking that my Mum was 'the apple of Dad's eye'. At the time, I probably just thought that Gran had got her words muddled up but I know now of course that it really is a common expression in our language.
The origin is apparently biblical and refers to the centre or pupil of the eye as something very precious to you. It occurs several times as in
Proverbs 7:2
- Keep my commands and you will live;
guard my teachings as the apple of your eye.
Today I am giving my daughter away in marriage. I can only hope that when she and her new husband look lovingly into each other's eyes, all they see is a big bowl of fruit.
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