The pictures published yesterday, taken during the 70th wedding anniversary of President Emeritus Censu Tabone and his wife Maria née Wirth were heartwarming.

The 98-year-old ophthalmologist from Gozo and his 92-year-old wife told the media that they were just as much in love today as they were 70 years ago, when they got married.

They said that their secret to longevity in love was to never sleep on a quarrel. “We never go to sleep without patching up a quarrel. We promised to always give each other a kiss of love in reconciliation before sleeping. Our conditions and situations in life changed many times over, but our love has endured,” they said.

The couple met in Marsalforn, where Mrs Tabone used to spend her summer holidays with her family. They began courting, but did not get married until Dr Tabone graduated and settled in his job. They finally tied the knot in 1941, in the middle of WWII, and those were hard times. The couple could not even find a photographer to take pictures of their special day, and only have one snapshot that a family member took.

Everything about their early married life was hard. Dr Tabone was only given one week’s leave by the Army to enjoy a honeymoon with his bride. After the war, Dr Tabone specialised in ophthalmology. He had a long and distinguished political career, but he will always be remembered for his tireless work in the medical field of vision. One of the hardest times the couple endured, confided Mrs Tabone, was when they had small children and Dr Tabone was away on a campaign in Taiwan for six months. Letters took 13 days to arrive, and both must have missed each other terribly, without telephone communication.

It sounds like a story straight out of the movie theatres, and indeed it could be. But with eight children, 19 grandchildren and 24 great-grandchildren, the couple can look at their living legacy with pride. Many people today worry about the breakdown of marriages and the pressure that is put on unions by today’s crazy world. But perhaps if people took a look at this wonderful couple, and all the sacrifices they made to raise a family and live a decent life, then perhaps we would all do a bit better.

Sadly, today, we tire too quickly and many times, the commitment is lacking. If only people stopped, looked at their partner and looked at them the way they did when they first met, we might see more such unions which withstand the test of time. Three cheers for the happy couple. They certainly deserve it.