Sharing 60 years as “soul mates”

The beginning of 2014 provided a great opportunity for celebration at Wellington Manor Retirement Village. Harold and Sylvia Garfield, residents at the village for nearly eight years, held a party to honour their sixtieth wedding anniversary.
Although a small affair, the attendance of overseas guests, including their son Saul, who flew in from Texas, and Sylvia’s brother and sister in law, who came from San Francisco, made it all the more joyful.
The Garfields’ wonderful partnership first began when they met at a charity ball in London and arranged to meet during their work lunchbreaks the following day.
“We found it easy to get along” they explain.
Since then they have married, raised two children, owned a successful fashion business of five retail stores in the UK and moved to Australia in 2006 to be closer to their daughter, Lisa, and her family.
When asked if they can share any marriage wisdom, the pair say it’s a “difficult question” but emphasise the importance of working through problems with forgiveness and generosity.
“Differences over many subjects will arise during sixty years but humour, positive thinking and making sure you always, always get over it are key” Harold and Sylvia explain.
A deep sense of love and connection are also essential ingredients, of course.
“It has been sixty plus years shared as soul mates” Harold says.