Luv Stories of Maui Marital Bliss with the
Maui Marrying Man
My parents, Jean and Helmy are celebrating their 50th Anniversary
They have had quite a life together. You see, my dad was an international exchange student from Egypt who was studying for his Masters and PhD at the University of Wisconsin in the 1960s. In a bet between my dad and his friends, he asked her out. She initially said no, but he persisted. She finally said yes because she didn’t want to hurt his feelings – being an international student. (I’m really glad she did!) They dated for 6 years and their pictures look like they had a wonderful courtship.
My dad was in the US on a scholarship, with the understanding he’d go back and teach at the university in Egypt. He asked my mom to marry him and she initially said no. It was the 1960s and Egypt was a foreign land halfway across the world. My mom was scared to leave Wisconsin…the only place she’d ever lived. But…she saw he was really going back, and they married 2 weeks before setting sail across the Atlantic. It was a culture shock for my mom – they did things very differently there and it was hard to find comforts of home. International communication was a lot tougher back.
They lived in Cairo for 6 years, where me, and then my twin brothers (Tamer and Tarek) were born. We then lived 4 years in Saudi Arabia before moving to the US in the late 70s. My brother Tamer and his family will be celebrating with us.
They raised 3 children here in the US, settling for the most part in Nebraska – where us kids grew up. They encouraged us in our education and supported us along the way – and let us live “normal” American childhoods. I am so proud to be of mixed heritage and love my Egyptian family back in Egypt. My dad is the only one of his family to move so far away, and I know it was hard for him to leave his homeland and family.
They have lived in Phoenix for the past 25 years and now have 5 beautiful grandchildren, 3 of whom are here today.
We are here to celebrate their life together. It hasn’t always been easy…but they have always been there for each other. In addition to their 50th Anniversary, they will both be 80 years old this year.
My dad has Parkinson’s and it is a tough disease, for both of them. It’s hard to watch the person you love struggle with everyday things. My mom is his caretaker and makes sure he gets to his exercise classes and gets his medications to help better manage the disease. It is not how either of them planned to spend their twilight years, but their original vows…in sickness and in health are more important than ever today.
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An International Exchange Student Luv Story Blessing
Helmy radiates the expression of Wisdom and Jean still has that eternal youthful Spirit!
Wisdom is the result of a lifetime of experiences
Born from the head start of a highly educated youth.
Eternal youthful Spirit is the Grace of our Natural state of Being.
In a bet with his friends, Helmy calculated that
the odds were in his favor…
Although Jean first said no…
Helmy had to re-calculate his equation for a first date…
When it was getting time to set sail back to Egypt
Helmy had to calculate the odds again…
and this time asked Jean to marrying him…
On account of the ‘incalculable’ challenges in lifestyle,
The thought of moving away from the
comfortable surroundings of home in Wisconsin…
To the middle east…
a land and culture far, far away from one’s wildest imaginations.
Helmy again had to re-calculate his expression of love…
This time without words or equations…
but straight from the Heart and Soul…
True Love prevailed and they married two weeks before
setting sail for a land and life far, far away
The rest was history… and a bold adventure in life was born.
Our life is like a ripple on a pond…
Our expression of Unconditional Love flows along like
a wave building momentum…
Scientist state that
‘there is nothing greater than the sum of its parts’…
But with ‘True love’
the power of love is exponentially larger.
Then add two twin boys and Tanya here…
to go forth in their lives,
Inspiring larger and larger waves of
Joy, compassion, Equanimity and Unconditional Love…
All born from the True Love of Helmy and Jean…
This love will continue to build that wave of Inspiration
that is making this world a better place
Considering the youthful vows of ‘in sickness and in health’…
Although the years will catch up with all of us…
Our youthful light feet will slow with age…
The Wisdoms earned from a lifetime of love will forever see…
The eternal youthful spirit of our True Love
as deep as Heart and Soul.
