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Wednesday 28 September 2016

L for LOVE

I have been in 'Love' so many times (or so I thought) that a friend of mine told me that 'I wore my heart on my sleeve'. She was probably right although, I didn't agree with her at the time! My first teenage love was a boy called Tony, we used to meet most nights and ride our bikes around the neighbourhood, generally Laughing and doing the things teenagers did in the sixties. Sadly my parents and his totally disapproved of this romance because we were of different religions. I was Church of England and he was Roman Catholic, the more they protested the more determined I was to see him.


Boy Soldier who went on to become Regimental Sergeant Major

  One day, we were sitting by the lake in a local park, my beau turned to me and told me he loved me and wanted to marry me but also, that day, he had enlisted in the British Army. He wanted to build a career by going through the ranks and hopefully, gain a commission. Then, when the time came we would marry and I would become an army wife. I didn't think  much about marriage then as I was too young, aged 14 and still at school. He asked me if I would wait for him and of course, I said yes, so off he went to training camp which was based in Germany. He came home on leave and I felt very proud of him, he looked so handsome in his uniform; The  only downside was that his lovely blonde curls had been cut off into a regulation short back and sides.


Sadly, as we both matured it seemed that we had little in common and drifted apart. I started a new career in a major city bank, and he married a girl who was also in the army.

He was based in several places but scarily, was in Northern Ireland, at the time of the IRA uprising;

 I found out that he had been badly injured in a booby trap bomb and sadly for him he was pensioned out of the job he loved so much, serving his Queen and country.He did recover quite well from his injuries and went on to having a successful career helping wounded servicemen into rehabilitation.

 I must say that whenever I see a man in a military uniform my heart flutters a little and my mind wanders back to when I was, 'just a teenager in Love'. 



A poem about Love by the America writer
Mary Angelou;  It's called 'Touched by an Angel'.


We, unaccustomed to courage
excites from delight lives coiled in shells of loneliness
until Love leaves its high holy temple
 and comes into our sight
to liberate us into life

Love arrives
 and in its train comes ecstasies
old memories of pleasure
ancient histories of pleasure
Yet if we are bold Love strikes away the chains of fear
from our souls

We are weaned from our timidity
In the flush of Love's light
We dare be brave
And suddenly we see
that Love costs all we are
and will ever be
Yet it is only Love
Which sets us free.

My sincere thanks to the   Lovely Denise for devising ABCW thus giving so much pleasure to many and also Roger the Lexicographer for doing what he does, ably assisted by Leslie who Lightens the work load.
Finally the band of Lively helpers who assist with the visits and encourage new contributors to keep on writing on ABCW.
Kind regards to all,
Di,
abcw team.

26 comments:

  1. Thanks for sharing your first love with us!
    I love the poem.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Vikki,
      I've had a couple more as well, married and divorced ist time then married for second time when i was forty and still married to this day, he was worth waiting for !

      regards Di.
      ABCW team.

      Delete
  2. I married my second "love" but should have started with number three. He is a keeper. - Margy

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Me to Margy i've been married to second husband 29 years and he's a keeper too, glad your number 3 is a keeper. You sure do seem to have a good life
      together,
      Regards.
      Di.
      ABCW team.

      Delete
  3. Ah that first love remains in our memory. I LOVE a man in uniform.
    Ann

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I married the second guy who professed his love for me, that lasted 12 years, then I was a single Mum for six years then my prince in shining armour came a long...we've been married 29 years.
      Regards Di,
      ABCW team.

      Delete
  4. What a lovely story, Di. I don't think we ever forget our first "real" love. Do you recall the post I did before I went on my trip about finding out "mine" had died 2 years ago? I was absolutely devastated even though we hadn't seen each other for almost 20 years!

    Leslie
    abcw team

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes I do Leslie and i found it so sad, i did have other loves before I married Michael the father of our three girls. Although he wasn't a bad father he just couldn't cope with the responsibilities of parenthood.... then the demon drink got him and i just knew I couldn't put up with it all. Therefore i took steps to change my life, and particularly for the benefit of the children....you know the rest...
      love Di xx

      Delete
  5. Thanks for sharing your first love story, Di. I can imagine you and your sweetheart riding bicycles together quite well. Being open to love is an amazing thing. Maya Angelou got that right about it being so freeing. Big hugs to you. :-)

    ReplyDelete
  6. Hi Susie,
    well it was just a young sweet innocent romance, we used race each other on the big wide paths through the park then flop down in the big field at the back of the park, Although his mum wasn't too pleased that her son was seeing a non RC she still made a packed lunch for us and supplied a big bottle of soda pop, so she was ok really. My Mama provided Crisps and Kit kat chocolate bars and an apple each,,,the two mums knew each other so we were well monitered...it's funny how, as you get older you can remember things further back..Ha I'll telling you about my Nursery school exploits next,,,chuckle chuckle,
    Hugs back at ya xx Di..xx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I can see it all. Me thinks this could be turned into a novel or movie.

      Delete
  7. That is a sweet puppy love story, Di. It made me think of my first girlfriend in Mexico, who was also Roman Catholic, while I was the son of the Episcopal Bishop. We drifted apart when I went off to prep school in the US. I love Maya Angelou, who I was blessed to hear speak during a conference I attended several years ago. May she rest in peace. Blessings, my friend!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Arnoldo, I don't know how i missed replying to you so apologies to you xx I think Donny Osmond sang about 'Puppy Love'do you remeber him ? Maya Angelou is a recent discovery for me and I relish her works, her overall talent and faith.
      May she Rest in Peace ! A most inspiring lady.
      I'm so glad for you you got to hear her speak, what an honour.
      Blessing to you my friend.
      Di.x
      ABCW team.

      Delete
  8. It's such a pity that religion should seperate people where it ought to bind us.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I know Wil but in Liverpool in those days there was a lot of friction between Protestants and Roman Catholics, although we were actually Anglicans. Ther was a group of non worshippers called The Orange Lodge they go back to the Battle of the Boyne in Ireland and of course there were in the 50's lots of Irish RC's etc I have no idea why the Orange Lodge attached themselves to the Anglican faith... Their marches were just an excuse for a lot of drinking then fighting. Whenever they were marching were not allowed out of doors....It was all to do with William of Orange... You may more about this than me Wil, thankfully it doesn't happen any more,,,i quite happily go to the local RC church with my grandaughter and take communion with her, which is quite wonderful xx
      best regards,
      Di.
      ABCW.

      Delete
  9. Replies
    1. hi VG,
      good to hear from you again and thanks for your
      kind comments,
      cheers!
      Di. xx

      Delete
  10. Thanks for sharing your personal 'love' ~ I have been blessed with 3 Loves (husband) they all died, ( 1 a scuba diving accident, 2 of cancerthough, but I have the wonderful memories and a handsome son and stepson and 2 grandees ~ Life ~ Wonderful post for L and lovely poem.

    Wishing you a loving week ~ ^_^

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Carol,
      good to hear from you, it's amazing when talking of LOVE it evokes so many lovely memories amongst us all.
      Thanks for stopping by,
      Best wishes,
      Di,
      ABCW team.

      Delete
  11. Hi Di.... Love is the most precious thing in ones life, so if one feels it, its always a wonderful gift of the heart. lets cherish it more I would say !

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes indeed Melody, Love is what makes the world go round,
      nice to hear from you,
      di.x
      ABCW team.

      Delete
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I usually like to reply to your comments but for some reason when i do post a reply it just diappears, any advice would be most welcome,Thanks Di x

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