My son’s wedding went off without a hitch, the weather was perfect, the venue was perfect and everyone there to celebrate the bride and groom were wonderful. The above pics are getting ready and being pampered..(we were told to put our phones away so they weren’t in all the pictures…but I snuck a couple), It is amazing what happens to people when they come together in joy and love and celebrate each other in the moment. I was focused the whole weekend on doing my utmost to wield and celebrate love outward to everyone I met, including the bridal party, family members, guests, and staff and other helpers. It is an amazing reaction when everyone feels pulled into the “hug” of love that was present. And I admit and celebrate, that much of the love I was able to wield was sourced from ❤️ and all I have learned and embraced this year. It just felt magical, and I have a whole new source of love trajectories that I am celebrating and praying for.
While I want to revel in this experience for awhile and just coast a bit, I have been booted out of the still point and out of the boat. With a rush of fear, (I was surprised at how comfortable I had become just standing still, even in the face of all the emotions) stepped out onto the water, and started walking forward without any clear indication of where my immediate steps will take me, some of that is rooted in investing in the trust I’m building in others to help me along the way…which is terrifying and exciting at the same time. I was also presented with the theme for next year’s journey, which is rooted in learning to live on a higher plane (my brain already hurts), which I will invite all of my trajectories to embrace as well. Loving unequivocally demands that we are demonstrably different in how our journeys unfold…then truly the world will know who and what we serve by how we love one another. To conclude, here is the speech and toast I gave at the dinner for Riley and Bri:
Riley my bebe…and Bri also my bebe (and as an aside, I am so happy to add even more feminine energy to crazy town, where men and chaos have always ruled…) I am also happy and proud to be a part of this beautiful symphany you are writing together.
You all may not know, (I’m sure Riley doesn’t) that I studied classical piano for more than 10 years, and composition was one of the things that solidified the belief that I was never going to be a concert pianist, regardless of how big or fast my hands were (that and a debilitating stage fright). I did learn an important lesson, however, and it was how most of the masters started a symphony with one simple melody, and built upon it movement upon movement. Different beats and melodies were added that not only enhanced the original but would bring a piece to a whole other level…and so it is with relationships. Bob and Jeri, I am so happy to celebrate the merging of our two families, enhancing the beauty of this new symphony they are creating together.
As for Riley’s melody, he was nothing like his older sibling in behavior or sentiment…a whole new melody entirely, and everything I thought I had learned with my first, I had to throw out the window for the second. Quiet, reserved and focused, I had to work hard to figure out what was going on in his head. And while his melody may have been softer and more subtle, as he grew, I learned to read the micro expressions on his face, that he often wouldn’t articulate with words, through them, I could feel the depth of his melody develop and sound. Once when he was about 6 years old, he got up and ran to me on the porch where I used to read and escape the chaos and said: Moma! I had a dream that I moved the stars around. And as I look at him now, I believe he will, with the support of this amazing woman, to do just that.
I knew something dramatic happened when he met Bri, especially the first time he asked me what I thought, I looked for the tell on his face…the smiling, I’m not smiling thing he would always do to cover up how happy he was, and I knew he was a goner. I told him I liked her, that she was sassy, and when she texted me about a certain cheesecake dispute later on, I knew she could stand her ground, that he had met his match (because nobody rivals Riley in his love for cheesecake)
I am so happy for the both of you building this great symphony together, which is sure to be a masterpiece. You will always have all our love and support. Cheers to the bride and groom!