It's like winning the lottery of life and more
MIKE RAATH HONG KONG
The question will arise at the oddest time. “Darling.
Who’s the luckiest man you know and why am I?”
Levinia’s answer comes straight back: “Because
you’re married to me, of course.”
I had to teach her the answer but she now has the
hang of the script.
That’s the way it’s been since June 30, 2000. I’d
known her for a decade before that but on a
platonic basis.
She’d been working part-time, making sure the
cockroaches didn’t take over the bachelor flat and
that I had enough clean, ironed shirts to look half
respectable for the office.
Over the years she’d told me about her two kids
growing in The Philippines and later the
grandchildren, all of whom I’d never dreamed I’d
meet.
What was obvious was that she was a woman of
integrity, well above my standing in terms of
integrity and virtue.
In the interests of her family she would have
worked eight days a week to meet their needs if
God had allowed that many days in a seven-day
week.
It was a bolt from the blue about seven years ago.
“God I love this woman,” I said to myself. She was
flabbergasted when I put my arms around her. We’
d become good friends over the years but at arms’
length.
Getting married was not an option but mandatory
despite her reservations. I wanted her to be my
bride and that was it.
Levinia wasn’t quite dragged kicking and
screaming to the registry office in Hong Kong but it
seemed like that at times. Soon after setting up a
home came hurdle number one – money.
She took one look at my budgeting and declared
my finances to be a mess.
Of course they were. Every journalist I know lives on
the edge of penury. My question was: “Can you do
better?” Levinia said of course she could so I put
her in charge and haven’t looked back.
Checkbooks balanced, credit cards were paid off
and there’s always enough in my wallet to meet any
need.
Next hurdle, the families. As it turned out, mine
came first. The trip to Australia was nervous. The
important thing was Levinia was my bride. She
wasn’t marrying the family and if they didn’t like her,
they had a problem not us. Of course they adored
her.
The first visit to The Philippines was made with
similar trepidation. Again it was with the same
attitude. “I’m not married to the family. You’re my
number one.”
I was knocked out by the welcome and now have
what I’ve wanted since a child – an extended family
with more relatives than I could point a stick at.
That’s been the real bonus. Apart from winning the
lottery of life with the best wife in the world, there
was a flock of the most beautiful grandchildren you
have ever seen.
Yes, money does come into it. But we’ve made it
clear that the grandchildren are the priority. They’re
growing up fast, I retire next year and I’m looking
forward to seeing their grandchildren.
Every man has dreams. Mine are coming true.
MIKE RAATH HONG KONG
The question will arise at the oddest time. “Darling.
Who’s the luckiest man you know and why am I?”
Levinia’s answer comes straight back: “Because
you’re married to me, of course.”
I had to teach her the answer but she now has the
hang of the script.
That’s the way it’s been since June 30, 2000. I’d
known her for a decade before that but on a
platonic basis.
She’d been working part-time, making sure the
cockroaches didn’t take over the bachelor flat and
that I had enough clean, ironed shirts to look half
respectable for the office.
Over the years she’d told me about her two kids
growing in The Philippines and later the
grandchildren, all of whom I’d never dreamed I’d
meet.
What was obvious was that she was a woman of
integrity, well above my standing in terms of
integrity and virtue.
In the interests of her family she would have
worked eight days a week to meet their needs if
God had allowed that many days in a seven-day
week.
It was a bolt from the blue about seven years ago.
“God I love this woman,” I said to myself. She was
flabbergasted when I put my arms around her. We’
d become good friends over the years but at arms’
length.
Getting married was not an option but mandatory
despite her reservations. I wanted her to be my
bride and that was it.
Levinia wasn’t quite dragged kicking and
screaming to the registry office in Hong Kong but it
seemed like that at times. Soon after setting up a
home came hurdle number one – money.
She took one look at my budgeting and declared
my finances to be a mess.
Of course they were. Every journalist I know lives on
the edge of penury. My question was: “Can you do
better?” Levinia said of course she could so I put
her in charge and haven’t looked back.
Checkbooks balanced, credit cards were paid off
and there’s always enough in my wallet to meet any
need.
Next hurdle, the families. As it turned out, mine
came first. The trip to Australia was nervous. The
important thing was Levinia was my bride. She
wasn’t marrying the family and if they didn’t like her,
they had a problem not us. Of course they adored
her.
The first visit to The Philippines was made with
similar trepidation. Again it was with the same
attitude. “I’m not married to the family. You’re my
number one.”
I was knocked out by the welcome and now have
what I’ve wanted since a child – an extended family
with more relatives than I could point a stick at.
That’s been the real bonus. Apart from winning the
lottery of life with the best wife in the world, there
was a flock of the most beautiful grandchildren you
have ever seen.
Yes, money does come into it. But we’ve made it
clear that the grandchildren are the priority. They’re
growing up fast, I retire next year and I’m looking
forward to seeing their grandchildren.
Every man has dreams. Mine are coming true.
Apart from winning
the lottery of life
with the best wife in
the world, there
was a flock of the
most beautiful
grandchildren you
have ever seen
the lottery of life
with the best wife in
the world, there
was a flock of the
most beautiful
grandchildren you
have ever seen
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| VALENTINE SPECIAL |
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VALENTINE SPECIAL
We all have dreams. Mine are coming true
We asked three
couples in mixed
marriages how they
met, what they
remember most about
that meeting and what
makes the relationship
work.
More than we
imagined, we got a
candid, personal
portrait from each one,
a treasure chest of
heartwarming,
sometimes amusing
anecdotes that prove,
once and for all, that
cultural differences
aside, love unites us.
Mike Raath is a senior
sub-editor on the
South China Morning
Post in Hong Kong
while Levinia used to
work with the defunct
Hong Kong Press
Club.
Andrew Stephen is the
Hong Kong general
manager of United
Airlines. Valerie
Badilla is an executive
at a travel services
company.
Jim and Rhodora
Kahny are both
academics based in
the United States.
couples in mixed
marriages how they
met, what they
remember most about
that meeting and what
makes the relationship
work.
More than we
imagined, we got a
candid, personal
portrait from each one,
a treasure chest of
heartwarming,
sometimes amusing
anecdotes that prove,
once and for all, that
cultural differences
aside, love unites us.
Mike Raath is a senior
sub-editor on the
South China Morning
Post in Hong Kong
while Levinia used to
work with the defunct
Hong Kong Press
Club.
Andrew Stephen is the
Hong Kong general
manager of United
Airlines. Valerie
Badilla is an executive
at a travel services
company.
Jim and Rhodora
Kahny are both
academics based in
the United States.
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