In the early 1950s, Elizabeth was a green teacher from Springstein who had taken up a position at the school in Gnadenthal, Manitoba.
One day, a young man (who certainly wasn’t a student) strolled into her classroom, took a seat at one of her desks, and casually sparked a connection that would last through the eras.
According to Elizabeth, the man started with a simple introduction.
“[He] said, ‘I'm Paul Peters.’”
The occurrence, as brief and to-the-point as it was, piqued the teacher’s interest.
“I kind of thought, ‘I'd like to get to know this guy,’” said Elizabeth.
Before long, in 1955, Paul and Elizabeth were married.
Seventy years later, the connection remains strong after its humble beginnings in rural Manitoba.
The early days
As for why Paul visited the classroom all those years ago, he said he thought “a teacher should be a good person to get to know.”
The next three years of dating would prove that he wasn’t wrong.
Before Paul and Elizabeth were married in 1955 on a hot, windy day in July, the beginning stages of their love took on a slow pace.
In summer, the couple’s early dates included attending choir practices and church together as well as going out for 5-cent ice creams.
In winter, because Paul was working in Winnipeg, the pair used letters to stay in touch and bridge the distance.
‘I don’t think it’s a secret’
After seven decades together, the wisdom that accumulates in life has led both Paul and Elizabeth to have insights into the timeless, age-old question: What is the secret to a long and happy marriage?
For Elizabeth, there is no secret.
It’s about consistency and making a choice every day.
“I think it's just a daily thing that you have promised each other, and you live by that,” she said. “You don't think, ‘I don't care for him today,’ you keep on living [together].”
The big ‘T’ word
For Paul’s part, “there is a lot of give and take in a marriage,” and one important tip is to make sure one apologizes after an argument.
He said that for him, not resolving a disagreement before bedtime makes for sleepless nights, so he recommends making amends beforehand.
Paul also values something that is a straightforward concept but not necessarily easy to achieve — trust.
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Trust, which Paul said one needs 110% of in a marriage, has been at the centre of the Peters' union since the early days, especially when it comes to finances.
“We started pretty low down [financially],” said Paul. “For a while, we kept track of every penny, and then I said to her, ‘If you want to go and buy somebody a drink or an ice cream or buy something, you don't need to tell me. I trust you.’”
The last piece of advice that Paul gives is to leave room for individuality in a marriage, because after all, it's a partnership made of people with different life experiences.
Joy in the small moments
Today, Paul and Elizabeth appreciate the moments as they come. After a lifetime spent travelling and raising a family together, each day begins by honouring the promise they made to one another 70 years ago.
“Every morning, I give [Elizabeth] a kiss and she has a smile on her face .... It isn't to be taken for granted. You cultivate it day after day,” said Paul.
“Every day [we] thank God for each other and that we’re still together and that we’re still able to do the things that we can do,” added Elizabeth.
Elizabeth also said she's proud that “there continues to be love” in her marriage, after all this time.
“Regardless of how old we are or what has happened, we know that we love each other and care,” she said.
Hopes for the future
As Paul and Elizabeth reflect on seven decades of marriage, they also think about the future.
“We're hopeful that mentally we will stay alert and that we can be together and physically ... look after ourselves,” said Paul. “That's a big thing.”
Paul added that the couple acknowledges that life circumstances “can change on a dime,” so he and Elizabeth do what they have been doing for seventy years until this point — they choose not to worry and instead treat each moment as a beautiful gift.
With files from Ty Hildebrand