60 years in love
"It is important to be there for each other. If the one is sick, the other needs to help."
Long lasting marriages are a testament to the bond which can form between two people who love each other dearly.
Mrs Miempie and Mr Pieter Burger (both 82) are an example of this type of love.
The Edenvale couple celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary on December 1.
They said in an interview with the NEWS that despite being married for 60 years it was not love at first sight.
Miempie said she first saw Pieter when she went along with a friend who was trying on a dress made by Pieter’s sister.
Pieter said a friend prompted him to ask Miempie out on a date.
“Through my friend I went dress-fitting with, Pieter arranged for me to go to the drive-in with him,” said Miempie.
She remembers that afterwards her grandmother asked how the date went.
“I told her that I would never marry Pieter as both our mouths were too big and if we had children their mouths would also be too big,” said Miempie.
Despite this, the couple got married, on Pieter’s birthday, and shared the occasion with his sister, who had played a vital part in the couple meeting.
“Marriage is a two-way street; you need to both give and take,” said Miempie.
Miempie said one of the most important things in a long-lasting marriage is to have respect for your partner and to always stand together.
“It is important to be there for each other. If one is sick, the other needs to help,” said Miempie.
She said that working towards goals together creates a stronger bond in the relationship.
“Over the years we have made many good memories together, especially when we travelled across South Africa visiting many places,” said Miempie.
Pieter said, while travelling, fishing took up a large part of their time together but he and Miempie always functioned as a team.
“My favourite places to visit were Still Bay and St Lucia because of the fishing,” said Pieter.
Miempie said it is very important for a couple to have the same interests and to do things together as this helps strengthen the relationship and allows each person to be happy.
