Post-wedding thoughts

Have you ever had those meaningful experiences that last only briefly, but when they are over, you feel that a part of yourself is missing? It is reminiscent of being a part of a play or a mission team or something like that..you know the time can't last forever, but you don't feel its levity until it is over. Until you are back in the day-to-day, working, paying the bills, seeing friends.

A wedding is a joyous occasion, but every one I have been a part of, has had a string of tension pulled tightly through the center of the whole thing. Anyone who observes or is around these people can sense it. The bride, the mother of the bride and other such involved persons seem to think that this tension is necessary to ' keep it all together'. So these individuals would be flabbergasted to find that tension completely missing in the wedding party I was part of this weekend... I showed up a half hour before the start of the wedding to help her dress... and in the end she had only put on a little mascara and pulled her still-damp-hair into a ponytail... And we had so much fun getting her ready! We took pictures of her in front of a mirror and in silly poses, we talked and laughed... The church's decorations included a few small vases of gerber daisies that matched her bouquet... there was little in the way of protocol for the scripture readers, who were asked that same day to read...no microphones. A hammer-dulcimer and flute provided the music. (beautiful) The bride and groom walked up the aisle together (since they had already exchanged vows a few months before and this was more for our benefit) ... It wasn't that it was hap-hazard, poorly-planned, or thrown together last minute. It was that it was SIMPLE. They just didn't have all of the extra stuff that so many weddings had. And it not only made them relax and just ENJOY the day, but the rest of us could relax, too!!

Obviously, I took a lot away from the weekend, and just felt so honored to be a part of something so wonderfully simple and meaningful. Thanks, Kate and Dave, for teaching me a thing or two! So now I get the blessedly sad and joyous time to relive and remember.