Valerie and Selvin Walker share 22 years of solid marriage.THINK about all the places where one could fall in love, and a 'dead-yard' is probably last on the list. Well, love blossomed for Selvin and Valerie Walker at a wake 25 years ago.
The couple lives in Olive River, Trelawny, and is celebrating 22 solid years of marriage. Both are farmers and have four wonderful children. They have fond memories of how they met.
Valerie explained that she had accompanied her parents, Claudius and May Jones, to a wake, and Selvin, whom she had been eyeing for some time, was there.
"I had him on my mind because he looked to be the perfect man for me. He was a farmer and he was strong. I often watched him as he lifted up the heavy load and thought how he could lift me up when I was sick."
However, she had one small problem.
"I couldn't tell my parents I loved this man so much. They were so strict they would thrash me even though I was 20 years old. But, my body was on heat for him."
During the wake, their feelings took on new life.
"When Selvin walked up to me and said he loved me, my heart fluttered. I couldn't say a word. For minutes I stood there staring at Selvin. Then I opened my arms to him saying 'Honey, I love you too.'"
"Selvin promised to do a lot of things for me," she continued. "To give me children, a shelter over my head and to love me forever."
Selvin said he, too, had a special love for Valerie because she looked like she would make a good wife.
"I wanted a good woman and she seemed to be just right. She had a caring smile, a passionate look and she was not lazy. I couldn't live with a lazy woman," he said.
But, despite the intensity of their passion, Valerie's parents posed an ominous obstacle.
They still could not understand why Valerie so desperately wanted Selvin.
"When I told my mother about my intention of marrying, she quarrelled and the more I spoke to her, the more she disagreed," Valerie recalled.
But Valerie said she won her over after she told her she was big enough to make her own decisions.
However, as fate would have it, Valerie found herself pregnant. Her father was 'a man of the cloth' and went into a rage when he found out Valerie was about to have a child out of wedlock.
"Dad said no way. Better get married like now. So we had a private wedding with just family members around." The date was January 24.
The birth of the couple's first child cemented the relationship. Being farmers before they married, Valerie and her husband pulled together planting carrots, Irish potato, yam and cabbage. They supported themselves by selling to higglers.
Valerie's father later gave the couple land to build their house. They began with a two-bedroom home but have since expanded to make room for each child.
The couple feels the presence of God in their lives, even though Valerie admits her husband is not a Christian. Nevertheless, they continue to teach their children to pray and respect their elders.
The Walkers advise young newlyweds to display love, trust and commitment in their marriage.
