Friday, March 4, 2011

From the drunk the joke’s about*

To my friends who are getting married tomorrow:

I wish you all the best as you begin your lives together (even though you’ve been living in sin for several months now) and look forward to a future filled with joy and happiness.

Not being married myself, I have very little advice to offer at the precipice of your journey. But I’m going to offer some anyway.


You’ll notice, of course, I described where you are as a precipice because the two of you are making a leap of faith hand-in-hand. And we all know objects fall at the same rate…at least they do in a vacuum. Sadly, we don’t live life in a vacuum so there will be times each of you will find yourself pulling your love up after they’ve fallen a little faster or further than expected.

Do not begrudge them this, everyone is entitled to a mistake or two – within reason.

As two people who love each other you know there will always be someone at your side, taking life straight on the chin even if it’s coming at you like a gale-force wind. Other times, as the Irish prayer says, the wind will be at your back – nudging and pushing you gently along (while the sun shines warm on your face and the rain falls gently on your fields, that is). And then there’ll be the those times when one of you will have to put your shoulder in the other’s back and support them no matter what may come.

Take their support in the spirit it’s offered – the gift of someone who loves you.

You’re both adults. You both know the difference between right and wrong – although the attorney may look for a technicality and the journalist some ambiguity. If you disagree on something, talk about it before you find yourselves yelling about it. I’ve found that’s the best way, saves the throat you see.

The future is not written. But I already find myself looking forward five, 10, 20 years to when I can write about my friends’ love story and how lucky I, and everyone we call friends, were to be there as it began.



An Irish Wedding Blessing

May God be with you and bless you.
May you see your children's children.
May you be poor in misfortunes
and rich in blessings.
May you know nothing but happiness
from this day forward.

*Q. What’s the difference between an Irish wedding and an Irish wake?
A. Once less drunk.

5 comments:

Zandria said...

Hooray! Well said. Very much looking forward to the celebration tomorrow. :)

magnolia said...

awww. sweet message. all the best to the happy couple!

by the way, at my dad's wedding to my stepmom, my grandmother totally raised her glass and wished that the road always rise to meet their faces. yeah, that's a favorite family joke now...

MA said...

this is very very very very... well. sappy. but also sweet :)

FoggyDew said...

Zan - It was a good one, wasn't it?

mags - that is a pretty good one. the question is, has the road risen up to meet their faces?

Vittoria - I promise I'll avoid sappiness in the next couple of weeks to redeem myself.

Brando said...

Thanks Foggy!