50 years of marital bliss

When Delano Fields sat down one late night to pen a marriage proposal letter to his girlfriend Juliet, the young jewellery maker had no doubt that the love of his life would say yes and be his wife until death do they part.

That was 50 years ago and the Fields are as happy as ever. Theirs was a 'Christmas wedding', as they got married on December 15, 1978.

Speaking from their Queen Hill, St Andrew home, Delano told THE WEEKEND STAR that, although it wasn't love at first sight, his connection with his wife was always strong and they formed a friendship that blossomed into love.

"When I met her, I wasn't head over heels, but then yuh tek yuh time and thing start going - yuh know, young bwoy going through those days. But, after mi get attached, di love it tek it time and grow," the 76-year-old said.

Although the couple's love was growing, they had a major challenge to overcome before they got to say 'I do', because Juliet decided she wanted to study in the US. Still, that did not deter Delano, who wrote to Juliet every chance he got. His reason? He was convinced that Juliet was the one for him.

"I wanted her, because I guess it was har ways, you know, young boy, yuh not working and she wasn't a person who would a demand this and demand that," Delano said, adding that although he didn't have much his wife loved him for who he was and supported him significantly.

"She is 110 per cent that, always supportive [person]. She always pushing me, pushing me and, any idea come up,. So this is what mek the love grow and grow," Delano said.

After Delano's proposal, Juliet, who was a lab technician, decided to return to Jamaica and the couple got married during the Yuletide season. For Juliet, now 75, her first Christmas as Mrs Fields was blissful.

"We bought a house before Christmas and it was exciting because it was just the two of us in our home, not brand-new, but it was ours. So we celebrated together," she said.

She added that she would normally host Christmas breakfast for her family, but this year was extra special because the couple got to celebrate their anniversary with family and friends.

The couple run a little retail shop and Juliet credits the success of her marriage to determination and the will to make her marriage work.

"Everybody has their faults, you just have to try to make it work. It don't mek sense yuh seh 'Okay, today wi aguh cuss and wi aguh separate', and then tomorrow wi aguh come back together. Yuh just have to try work," said the mother of two.

Similarly, her husband credits the success to refusing to fight fire with fire and learning to let love prevail.

"It have to be fire and water. So, when one is fire, yuh must need water to out the fire. So therefore - because, yuh know, teeth and tongue must meet. Whenever it meet, I'm just not the person to follow through. Mi leave it alone because things must cool off," Delano said.