LOOKING BACK 6O YEARS

It was inevitable that my thoughts would recall the event that took place 60 years ago today.  It was at 5pm on 18th July, 1953 that, on my father's arm, I walked down the aisle of St George's Cathedral in Perth to be married to my first husband.  (I had also been christened and confirmed in that place).

It had been a 12 months engagement during which time I had had doubts; doubts I put behind me as I felt I had made a commitment and one I should be true to.  It turned out that I was wrong in going ahead with the marriage but I'd been rather overwhelmed during our engagement with my fiance seeing me nearly every evening/day which gave me little hope of finding out what it would be like to not see him for a while.  Hope that makes sense.  I think now I should have insisted on some breathing space but I didn't.   We all make errors of judgement and also learn by our mistakes.

I must admit it was a lovely wedding.  My mother-in-law had made me a beautiful wedding dress and going away outfit, the style of wedding dress not unlike the one chosen by Kate when she wed William.  My daughter actually showed pictures of the two dresses on her blog at the time of the Royal Wedding as she was amazed at the similarity in style.  Mine didn't have a long train nor did it cost very much money but it was gorgeous!!  I was very fortunate in my choice of in-laws!!

We had a very nice sit down reception with family and friends and spent a pleasant few days honeymoon at the Yanchep Inn.   We had very little money and had to live in rented rooms in several places before finally ranting an old two-storey house from his grandfather.   All went quite well for several years and although the marriage didn't last past 13 years (I feel perhaps it wasn't meant to last) from it I had two children one of whom is still the light of my life, the other whom, unfortunately,  has more or less divorced me and the rest of the family as well.

On the day of our divorce we went and had a coffee and he made the comment that we weren't really that compatible were we?  Something had definitely changed during those 13 years of marriage.  I still thought I was the same person but I guess there had been changes on both sides which had driven us apart.  I am still on friendly terms with him, although he fortunately lives outside the metropolitan area so our paths seldom cross.  He even sometimes remembers to telephone me on my birthday which I guess is rather nice.   He is now in his third marriage and I am in my second and for me second time around has worked out very well.