Random musings on my vagabond existence in the Endless Mountains of Pennsylvania and wherever else life takes me.
To everything there is a season.
A time to break down, and a time to build up. A time to weep, and a time to laugh. A time to mourn, and a time to dance.
Yesterday was a time to build up, laugh, and dance as Rachael and I tied the knot after nine and a half years together. And what a day it was! On a picture-perfect fall day, more than 90 family and friends came from as far away as England, Maine, and Hawaii to celebrate our big day with us. The only thing more gorgeous than the venue and the weather was seeing Rachael in her wedding gown.
Alas, my late father and my wheelchair-bound mother weren’t there to celebrate with us. But they were there in spirit. I could feel them.
If you had told me ten years ago this day would come, I would have said you were nuts. I had first-degree burn scars inside and out from the failure of my first marriage. Rachael, too, had walked a hard road after her divorce. Through sheer determination and force of will, she had gotten herself back to peace and stability in her life.
Both of us have kids from our first marriages that we didn’t want to hurt any more than we already had. Why would we ever want to go back down that road?
But faith, the Bible teaches, is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. In other words, the fruits of faith are tangible, but to pick those fruits, we have to believe the tree exists. That means taking the chance and putting ourselves back out there in the line of fire.
I won’t bore you by retelling the story of how Rachael and I met. Suffice it to say that the odds that we would meet our match in a bar, of all places, had to be about as low as winning the lottery. But both of us bought tickets, stepped into that restaurant/bar, and there we were.
It’s miraculous, really. People ask me if I believe in miracles. I tell them that while I don’t believe that a terminal illness can be cured by stepping into the healing waters of Lourdes, I do believe in the incredible resilience of the human spirit. If only we keep hoping, keep believing, keep taking steps in the direction of our dreams and desires, we can get there.
When we do, the weeping ends, the healing starts, and the dancing begins.
Yesterday, there was a lot of dancing, and laughter, and a few tears, too. What a day! We would have loved to have every one of our family members and friends there, but alas—our family is just too big!
For all of you who were there to celebrate with us—thank you for your presence. For everyone else, we appreciate you and your continued support as Rachael and I blend our two families into one.
None of us can do this alone. It takes a village to get through the troughs and valleys of life. You are that village to us, and we are grateful for you.
God bless!
Congratulations! May you have many years of joy ahead!