To the casual onlooker it’s easy to understand why Ryan and Renee Boyce chose each other and have been married seven years. After all, with a lengthy musical appreciation between them, they both play more than three musical instruments, including the piano and organ at their church, it is understandable to see how that link would blossom out of common interests.
But that same common thread, almost proved to be the great divide when they first met.
“The first time I met him I called him the most supercilious person I ever met,” Renee revealed. “He was annoying. I went away to study at Mona and when I came back there was this person sitting down at the keyboards in my territory at church looking smug. I didn’t like it. Then the men’s fellowship had a concert at the church and they asked him to play piano. That was my role. Then they said to me ‘Ryan will play for us but we want you to do a solo’.”
Naturally Ryan remembers a much different account to that first encounter.
“I was invited to come and play, so I was just doing my job,” Ryan said.
Unable to hide her offence at being snubbed, Renee lashed out at him.
“Imagine after all my years doing this and they tell me that they don’t need me that Ryan can play for them,” she said with a hint of annoyance still in her voice. “But we ended up playing a duet – I played the clarinet and he played the piano and it was good.”
Perhaps that melodious combination struck a chord between the two that helped to melt any opposition she felt for him. Or perhaps he was able to win her over with his easygoing, whimsical nature and comedic charm.
“Two years later, we were married,” Renee said laughing.
Renee and Ryan are a young, dynamic professional couple. She is a doctor and he is an account manager for LIME. They have managed to fuse creativity and love in just about everything they do, especially when it comes to maintaining their family life. They both play at their church and Ryan assists and plays at other churches as well.
Later this month he is organizing the 100 Voice Project at St Thomas Parish Church that brings different voices together from all over the world.
“We’re both still very involved in church and we have one car. That involves a lot of patience on my part, because Ryan is the one that has the car usually,” said Renee.
Though both Renee and Ryan admit that they can change that arrangement in terms of getting another car, the inconvenience is a small price to pay for the camaraderie and quality time that it brings to their relationship.
“There are several opportunities to get another car and we keep talking about it, but I think those car rides are the unifying thing for us,” Ryan said. “We get to talk, Renee gets everything off her chest, I get to listen,” he says laughing.
“Ryan doesn’t bother about anything,” Renee chimes in. “At the slightest thing my neck hairs stand up, but him, he doesn’t let it bother him.”
Maybe their different personalities have also allowed them to complement each other, but both Renee and Ryan also credit the examples they had with both sets of their parents who have been married for over 30 years.
“From the beginning divorce was not an option,” Renee said emphatically. “When I’m praying I ask God to help our marriage be an example. I see so many young people not willing to work at marriage and it takes work. I mean what are you going to look at, the little habits that annoy you or the fact that he’s a good man that takes care of his family.”
Renee also remembers the integral role Ryan played during her pregnancy, and even beyond that as a father to their three-year-old daughter, Reic’ah.
“I’m a very excited father, and it’s incredible watching her grow and develop,” Ryan said.
“It’s also amazing to see her gravitating toward that musical bent as well.
Maybe Renee and Ryan have found what it means to be in perfect harmony, maybe they realize that love and marriage takes hard work and commitment, maybe . . . .
“I’m incredibly passionate about music,” Ryan said. “I feel blessed to have found someone to share that passion with.”
