Affectionately yours

affectionately yourslove affair of a life time by Bimpe Bamgbose-Martins

MMy husband and I had planned to stay briefly at a wedding reception we attended sometime back. On getting there, we had a change of mind and decided to stay longer because of the pleasant ambiance of the event- love was in the air! »

The newly wedded bubbled with affection; all eyes remained fixed on them as they danced merrily to the music. Not only did they create great fun for guests but sent those who were married on a memory lane, and no doubt, a longing for those on the waiting list. While the merriment continued, the groom gave a rather touching vote of thanks, expressing his gratitude to God and everyone who helped to make his dreams come true.

I watched the couple with tears welled up in my eyes, and prayed that God will give my young lovely daughters, wonderful men of their own in due time.

Such is the captivating force of young love. It is boisterous and innocently passionate, but tends to be vulnerable to life’s varying conditions, a fragility that must not be overlooked.

Young love may appear beautiful but in no way compares to a love relationship that has been nurtured to maturity and can be relied upon even in the face of adversity.

Having worked at the relationship, the couples take upon one another, the responsibility of making each other happy, “till death do them part.”

What do you expect your marriage to be in the next twenty years or more? Now is the time to start building sweet thrills that will last a lifetime!

Not too long ago, I saw a middleaged couple at the airport, the man put his arms around his wife and looked into her eyes, soon after she rested her head on his chest. Watching them, I wondered how the couple was able to express such deep affection towards each other in public.

The incident took place at the airport, so you can guess what was going on- the couple were about to be separated.

I became inquisitive to, at least, know how long they had been married and for how long the man was going away. My curiosity got the better part of me and I summoned up the courage to walk up to the lady after the man had gone.

I warmed my way to her by telling her how nice it was to see her and her husband in such a tender mood. She confirmed my earlier suspicions and disclosed that they had been married for thirty years. Friendship was the secret behind their happy marriage. They had been pals from the beginning.

Staying and growing in love is a lifetime challenge but wisdom from these couples certainly provides insight, encouragement and helpful instruction to all couples that desire a love affair that lasts. We searched out some couples who have enjoyed life-long intimacy, and were willing to share their experiences with us.

Mrs. A

“Looking back at the early years of my marriage, I realize that what appeared to be so important then doesn’t seem to be such a big deal anymore. We were very concerned about our ca-

Young love may appear beautiful but in no way compares to a love relationship that has been nurtured to maturity and can be relied upon even in the face of adversity.

reers, how great we looked, what others thought of us and how much money we had. Sex was also an issue between my husband and me; we fought about it frequently.”

Mrs. B

“It took time before we understood each other, and so it was somewhat challenging for both of us at the onset. But once we knew each other’s passing moods, expressions, likes and dislikes, weaknesses and strengths, and reacted to each other positively, our marriage became stable and grew steadily.”

Mrs. C

“It took a while before our marriage got to that point where we could take responsibility for each other and be concerned about our physical and emotional well being. We learnt to treat one another tenderly and to protect each other from anything that will create ill feeling.”

Mrs. D

“My husband gave me a feeling of security by making me know he values my opinions and enjoys communicating with me. He listens to me and takes my advice, this way we were able to build each other up. When you learn to understand your husband, you will know almost immediately, in what areas he needs support; whether physically, emotionally, or spiritually.”

Mrs. E

“My husband made a habit of either planting a kiss on my fore-head or in my palm, before we got married. After marriage, I made sure he continued, especially when he is leaving for the day. I let him cuddle me on his lap frequently too for the fun of it, to maintain the way it was from the beginning of our marriage”.

Mrs. F

“The best way anyone can learn to love intimately is by understudying the Songs of Solomon. We have been able to treat each other with respect and admiration for each other. We commend ourselves in areas where we do well and encouraged each other to talk on sensitive matters that may border on individual’s insecurities.”

Mrs. G

“Our bond is so strong that we feel each other’s sense of need and find security in each other’s presence. It has nothing to do with sex. I just want to be with him at the beginning and at the end of each day.”

Mrs. H

“I was very prayerful, pulling down physical and spiritual hindrances to the