Page 27 - SeniorsToday May20

First Person
A Man &
A Woman
The breakup of a marriage can test you to your limits, and also help you
discover your strengths, writes Annette Muller
When hearts are passing in the night, in the
lonely night
Then they must hold each other tight, oh, so
very tight
And take a chance that in the light, in
tomorrow’s light
They’ll stay together, so much in love
What is it like if your husband leaves you
and you are 59 years old – and this is not the
first time this happens to you?
To be honest – it is horrible.
My husband and I have been married for
13 years, and we have known each other
and lived together for many more years.
After that many years of being together the
relationship is not as romantic any more as it
used to be in the beginning… holding hands,
saying “I love you” and so on. A relationship
changes over time, of course, and that is a
good thing. It matures, you understand each
other without speaking.
After all you are building a trusted
SENIORS TODAY | ISSUE #11 | MAY 2020
foundation that is stable and should grow for
the time to come. If you are over 50 years old
you know that times and age will come that
will bring changes to your body and your
mind. And you may become weaker and
sick. Hence a strong bond and relationship
you can rely on become even more important
as it will mean that you support each other
and continue to be there for each other,
whatever the circumstances may be.
At least the above was my belief and when
getting married I was very much aware
of the responsibilities that come with a
marriage. At the time of our marriage I knew
already that one week after my husband had
to have cancer surgery – “In good and in bad
times.”
(Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham. One of my
favourite movies).
As most couples we had lived through
easier and more difficult times in our
marriage.
Until summer 2019, when I noticed that
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