theyarepledgingsupportfortheprotectionof 25
reefs.“Welovetheoceanssomuch—itiswhereDennis
andIbegan—andforoursilveranniversary,wewant
togofullcircleandworkwithresortswhosevisions
alignwithoursinhopesofestablishinganinitiativethat
canbesustained.Wearesoblessed;itisreallyimportant
tousthatwepayitforward,”saysTessa.Oneoftheir
anniversarycelebrationswasheldatBalesinIsland,where
practicessuchasenergyandwaterconservation,eco-friendly
transportation,andprotectionofmarineandforestwildlife
areemployedtooptimiseecologicalsustainability.
Whatistheirsecrettostayingmarriedforaquarter
ofacentury?“Youhavetogiveeachotherspaceto
grow,”opinesDennis.“Eventhoughyouaremarried,
youwillcontinuetochangeandevolveasindividuals,
andthatprocessisn’talwayslinear:onecangothisway,
andtheothercangointheoppositedirection.And
that’sokay;foraslongasyourcommitmenttoeach
otherandwhatyouhavebuiltremainstrong,youcan
andwillcomeback.Youcangowhereveryouwantto
go,butyoualwayshavetoreturntothatfixedpoint
tostaytogether.Communicationiskey,too.Andso
ispatience.”AddsTessa,“Youhavetolearnhowto
saysorryaswell.Webelievethatlaughtercanbethe
bestmedicine.Wehavegonethroughsomuch.There
wasevenatime—perhapsthedarkestpointinour
relationship—whereIhadtochoosebetweenDennis
andthefamily,butitallworkedoutintheend.It’s
alwaysgoingtobearollercoasterrideforus,filled
withupsanddowns,butfunandexciting.”“For as long as your
commitment to each
other and what you
have built remain
strong...you can go
wherever you want to
go, but you always have
to return to that fixed
point to stay together”
—Dennis Valdes