Sharon X Donavan
The second couple is Sharon and Donavan. High school sweethearts with young children they consciously didn’t bring to enjoy each other to the fullest. A curtain separates the studio and the room where they are being interviewed. In the background they hear the clicks of the camera and the voice of our photographer.
The first shoot is already in full swing. They look at each other questioningly. To compare how much their answers differ from each other, we take them separately for the first part of the interview. Sharon bites the bullet.
How and when did you two get to know each other?
Sharon
She breathes a sigh of relief. That was in 2007. We met in a cafe. I was having lunch with my mom when he walked in. He had just graduated and was wearing a captain's suit. It was just like in a movie. The memory puts a smile on her face. I really thought: "Oh wow, what a handsome guy." I was 15 and he was 17.
Because he knew my mother through work, he came to greet her. That was when our eyes first met. A few days later we met up for a drink and we hit it off right away. "Our date is 27/08/2007," she says with sparkles in her eyes.
Donavan
For a slight second he nervously turns his eyes to the left. We met in a cafe (laugs). I first knew her mother through work and that's how I got to know Sharon. I remember saying to my mom, "Gee, I really want to get to know her better!" We agreed to go on a date, and before the date my brother had said: "You have to kiss her."
For me it was love at first sight. I remember thinking, "This is it." We were both very young and yet I knew it. She was the woman I wanted to share my life with.
What's the most romantic thing you've done for each other?
Sharon
We were never really romantic souls. But what I did find very romantic was his support during the birth of our second child. With each contraction, he stood beside me to encourage me and whisper soft words. He really helped me and that was exactly what I needed at that moment.
Donavan
Gee, 13 years is a long time. (laughs) Going to the spa and spending time together is romantic in itself. I can't think of anything romantic right away but for my 30th birthday she organised a surprise party with all our friends and family. Even though I secretly knew about it, I thought it was very sweet and romantic.
We put the lovers back together for the second part of the interview.
How do you two complement each other?
Sharon: He always calms me down. When I'm angry, he knows exactly how to handle it. He knows how to react and what to say to calm me down.
Donavan: I usually stay calm. We have two kids and often she's the one who gets angry the quickest.
Sharon: I don't have any patience at all (laughs). When I'm alone with them they are often a lot wilder than they are with him. He radiates his calmness on them, I think.
What do you both enjoy together?
Sharon: Our children (laughs) at least I do!
Donavan: But we enjoy things together too, don't we? Even though we have less time with the kids nowadays.
Sharon: When our youngest of 5 months was in the hospital, we were so occupied by that that we made less time for each other. But today we made time for each other and we consciously didn’t bring the children with us. If we really want to enjoy ourselves we go out to dinner even though I find it difficult to do anything without the children. But when it's just the two of us I try to let it go and enjoy it.
What makes you as a couple so strong?
Sharon: What's made us stronger is the fact that we've been apart. We broke up for about a year and a half.
Donavan: Yes, we both had someone else.
Sharon: Our son was only two or three months old when we seperated. That wasn't the ideal period, but I was the one that decided to leave.
Donavan: I worked a lot during that period. A little too much actually so it was my fault too. I sometimes worked 72 hours a week
Sharon: It was a combination of different things but in hindsight that's what made us stronger. If I hadn't decided to leave then, I don't think we would still be together now. We really needed that break.
Donavan: I eventually quit that job. It was enough for me too.
Sharon: But we kept getting along and staying in touch. It's only when we broke up that we really started communicating. That's how we eventually grew back together.
Donavan: In the end I had found a calmer job and during that period Sharon had met someone else. It did something to me, but I accepted the situation. When that relationship finally fell apart and she was single again, I had someone new in my life.
Sharon: When I saw him with another woman, I realized that there were still feelings involved and that strengthened my feelings for him even more. Since then, we actually communicate way better.
Donavan: You know what it is? Love and being in love are very different from each other. I was really sorry that we had grown apart, but if we had to go through such a difficult period again today, we would deal with it very differently. Today we love each other so much more deeply and that’s the difference between then and now.
What was your best Valentine's Day date?
Sharon: Without a doubt that one valentine when we booked a night at a hotel and when we entered our room and rose petals were laying everywhere.
How do you celebrate your love day after day?
Donavan: Making time for each other and communicating openly is the best way to celebrate our love day in and day out. Even though we invest a lot of time in the children, we always try to make time for each other. That’s why we’re doing this photo shoot, because I know how much she loves it.
Sharon: Yeah, this is really my thing. I love photo shoots.
Donavan: She's photogenic and she's always on Instagram so I knew this was going to make her happy.