Universally Speaking

Ours is a classic love story. Boy meets girl on the streets of Deep Ellum. Girl thinks boy is gay. Boy and girl become casual friends. Boy sleeps with girl's girl friend. Girl realizes boy isn't gay, but is repulsed by boy. Boy works hard to charm girl. Girl finally agrees to go on a real date with boy (which included a stop at Wild Orchids, a now defunct titty bar.)

The rest as they say, is history. Fast forward sixteen years and here I sit, type type typing, with the realization that our love can now drive, legally.

Looking back at our wedding weekend, two things always come to mind. The first is how it rained the day of our wedding. A lot. Unusual for late July and problematic since we were going to be married outdoors at the Richardson Women's Center. Oddly enough, I found myself alone most of my wedding day. Being nervous, very nervous, I ended up jogging, for what turned out for hours, in the neighborhood in which we still reside. To this day when I think of our wedding day, I remember running in the light rain, never tiring, since I was so full of nervous energy.

The second thing I remember from our wedding is from the rehearsal dinner. Even though it happened the day prior to our wedding, I wouldn't learn of it until much later because this moment was contained on a video of the rehearsal dinner party held at my in-laws house. Someone, I can't even remember who at this point, went around with a video camera asking various friends and family to say something about us. Our relationship. The wedding. Wish us well. That sort of thing.

Watching the video is a trip. So many in it are removed from our lives now. Either by divorce or death. Everyone has a lot more hair. And some are much skinnier where others are much heavier.

Most everyone in this video say what you'd expect someone to say in such a video. Carter and Stuart are great. I wish them well. They are meant for each other. The usual. That is until the camera man found my Mom, who proceeds to tell the camera, to tell us, that marriage isn't easy. In fact it is hard. That you have to work at it. Repeatedly. And not give up.

My mother was a small women. Made smaller still by my large father (who was at least 25-35 pounds heavier than he is today) who is standing beside her with a goofy look on his face on the sidewalk that runs parallel to my in-laws back yard.

Sixteen years later the Boy(s) often walk around that very fence that is near the sidewalk where their Granny, going against the grain, said the most meaningful thing on that video. What she said is true. Marriage isn't easy. You'll have your ups and your downs, and for it succeed you do have to work at it.

An hour or so before we were married at the Richardson Women's Center it stopped raining. And the sun came out. And we were married on what has to be one of the coolest July 30th in history. It was simply magical.

Sixteen years later and I sit here type type typing as I remember that day. As well as what my Mom said.

I'm happy that sixteen years later I still love My Lovely Bride. And better yet. I still like her too.

Until I BLOG again...Simply put, i saw your love stream flow.

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