Monday 8 August 2011

Visions of Love

My mother-in-law, Audrey,
was born into a clerical family.
She grew up in a large country vicarage
but by the time she was 19 they had moved
to the precincts of Lincoln Cathedral.

Audrey has told me that she was walking
through the Cathedral precincts one day
when she turned to her mother and pointed
to a young man walking towards them
"I don't know who that man is
but that is the man
that I am going to marry."

That young man was Thomas.

Thomas and Audrey married in Lincoln Cathedral
when Audrey was only slightly older than MissM
and celebrated their Golden Wedding anniversary last year.
Yesterday we celebrated Thomas' 80th Birthday.

Happy Birthday, Thomas.
We send you our love
on this the feast day of
St. Jean-Baptiste-Marie Vianney,
patron saint of parish priests.

9 comments:

  1. What a beautiful photograph and such a heart-warming story! Thank you for sharing this with us :-) Jane Gray

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  2. Oh, how dear.
    Love that photograph.

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  3. Happiest of birthdays to Thomas (and belated anniversary wishes to the lovely couple). My husband is peering over my shoulder marveling at the sea of clerical collars in that photograph!

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  4. A simple story that speaks beautifully of love and patience. sigh...

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  5. What a lovely photo. I love old family photos so much I fall in love with other people's too. A Happy birthday to Thomas. I bet he didn't complain being "chosen" by his beautiful bride.

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  6. Such a private story. Thank you for sharing it.
    Happy belated birthday to Thomas who clearly must be a wise and clever man.

    (I might now understand where MrM got his wit and charm from, having seen and read about his parents)

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  7. What a good story. Imagine all those dog-collars around you all the time!

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  8. That's a beautiful photograph; i truly enjoyed stopping at every single face, as to say 'hello'.
    Happy Birthday, Thomas.

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