Fayola K J Fraser
With the gentle affection and tenderness of a newly-wed couple, Lennox and Angela Toussaint still only have eyes for one another, over 60 years after their first fateful meeting. Their marriage has stood the test of time, and their union is a testament to their original vows, as they have gone through phases of richer and poorer, sickness and health–and intend to continue to carefully carry their precious love for one another throughout their lifetimes.
Angela clearly remembers the first time she laid eyes on Lennox, on a hot afternoon in 1959 as she spent her lunchtime perusing Charlotte Street just before Christmas. “I don’t know what it was,” she remembers with a smile, “maybe it was the bandy leg ... But I saw him, and it was love at first sight.” She remembers hearing him approach her with a greeting, and she decided not to respond, ignoring his advances. As he passed by, she was immediately enamoured, awash with palpable regret for not responding to his greeting.
Not too long after, on Boxing Day of the same year, Angela’s friend told her mother they would be going to spend time at her house, meanwhile, they ended up attending a gathering in Morvant. Growing up very sheltered, Angela was concerned that her mother would not approve of this diversion, but she went anyway. “I jumped out of the taxi and walked in, and who did I see but the same fine young gentleman I had seen a couple of weeks earlier in town.” Feeling that this second meeting was indeed ordained by God, she felt confident to welcome his renewed advances, believing that Lennox was the lifetime partner she had prayed for.
On February 9, 1960, a date that remains etched into both their memories, Lennox and Angela sealed their relationship with their first kiss, and Angela remembers “telling the Lord on that very day that I wanted to spend the rest of my life with this man.” The concept of finding “the one” remains elusive to some, with many wondering if “the one” really exists, but Angela remembers knowing very clearly that this was the answer to her prayers, and indeed “the one” for her.
‘Having a child with minimal resources at a young age is not ideal’
Two years later, Angela became pregnant with their first child, and Lennox, faced with the prospect of becoming a father, began to look for work to fulfil his fatherly duties. Both Angela and Lennox remembered the change that their son’s impending arrival had on them, with Lennox focused on working hard to support his family, and Angela remembering that their their son’s arrival, “resulted in another level of closeness in the relationship between us.” However, in their advice to young couples, Angela recommends that having a child with minimal resources at such a young age is not the ideal, as it “made for a number of hard years ahead,” although they eventually “made it through the rain.”
Marriage proposals nowadays often include a prime location, an expensive ring, and a poised cameraman, but in 1972, after acquiring a home for his family, Lennox quietly and confidently asked Angela to marry him. Wanting to bring the family unit together under one roof, and “solidify and cement the family” which had now grown with one more child, they got married in a small ceremony in September 1972. Many years later, he remembers the excitement of seeing Angela walk down the aisle, excitement that was partially because of her lateness, as she was busy making her daughter’s dress. “I was just so glad she finally came,” he laughed, “Even the priest gave a sigh of what I assume was relief … at last we could proceed, at last we could be married.” Angela remembers the feeling of joy and contentment that she would get to finally marry her soulmate, this man that she initially ignored on Charlotte Street, “the man of my dreams, who I loved from (almost) the start.” The quietness and simplicity of their proposal and marriage is a strong indication that successful love and marriage requires nothing more than a deep commitment between two people, and is not hinged upon any sizeable, extensive series of wedding events.
‘Bounce ideas and dreams off each other in pursuit of achievement’
As Angela and Lennox settled into their new home as a married couple and had their third child, they both began ascending the ranks of their respective careers, increasing the family resources. However, this also meant that a great portion of their time was devoted to their work, and Lennox even sought higher education, taking up the challenge of doing courses at UWI while simultaneously working a full-time job. For young couples who seek their own career advancement, often it feels that their relationships cannot also simultaneously be a priority. Angela and Lennox took up their various challenges “while still pouring into their marriage,” and ensuring their children were well-loved and cared for.
“It wasn’t easy,” Angela recalls, “but we made it a joyous time, our children were dynamic, and we enjoyed still spending time with each other, and being with them.” They encourage young people not to feel limited by relationships in their pursuit of their professional dreams, but to use each other as a source of support, encouragement and understanding, and to bounce ideas and dreams off one another in the pursuit of achievement.
A popular soca song by Kerwin DuBois, sung in 2024, heeds an important warning to couples and families, intoning that “there’s life after fete, don’t forget, you must come back home.” Angela and Lennox underscore DuBois’ lyrics, issuing a special reminder to couples during what can be a tenuous season in a relationship. Lennox encourages young couples to remember that “there will be an Ash Wednesday, and Carnival will be over–so don’t do anything you will regret.”
‘Finding things to do together and enjoy’
As Carnival lovers, and self-proclaimed “Minshallites”, Lennox and Angela remember many Carnivals and many years as masqueraders together. “We do everything together,” Angela remarks, “enjoying each other’s company,” as they are not only a married couple, but remain best friends, always finding things to do together and enjoy.
Now with six grandchildren and two great-grandchildren, this couple remains deliriously in love, faithfully devoted to one another, and have spent their now-childless years travelling the world. From trips throughout the Caribbean to seeing mountains of ice in Alaska, to cruising the Mediterranean Sea, Angela and Lennox are reaping the ripe fruits of a seed planted many years ago, nourished with love, dedication and faith.
Urging young couples to “make God the glue in your marriage,” they also credit open and clear communication, and acknowledging that one or the other is not always right, to the success of their 43 years and counting of marriage.
Their Valentine’s Day plan on Wednesday remains the same, to spend the day as they do any other, consciously choosing each other in this lifetime and the next.