Bio bits

Portland, OR, United States

Sunday, March 8, 2009

Newly Old Love

Recently with my own wedding safely tucked to bed, I looked back on a reading I wrote for the 2004 wedding of our friends Crystal and Ptahmb who have been integral to the joy of our ceremony and celebrations. At the time I wrote it, I was thinking of them and their lovely union, but upon the re-reading, it's nice to see where it applies in J and my lives, too.

Have a look and see if you recognize yourself and your relationships. This is a living piece and I would love to hear your own spin on it.

Here goes:

"David Sedaris refers to two types of love. There is new love, which many experience. And there is real love, for which there are only a chosen few.

New lovers look deeply into each other's eyes and savor every word that escapes their dear one's mouth.
Real lovers look deeply into each other's eyes and whisper "Could you shut up for maybe five minutes?"

New lovers notice when the other has taken out the candles or champagne for a night of bliss. Real lovers notice when the other has taken out the trash or the hair from the bathtub drain.

New lovers hold hands to enjoy the good times.
Real lovers hold hands to see each other through the rough times.

New lovers live for the next time they will see each other.
Real lovers live for the next time they will listen to each other.

Today we have come together to witness two Real lovers who have lived enough to know the difference between these two types and were smart enough to embrace a lifetime together."

That passage more accurately sums up how the wedding ceremony went far more than if I bored you with a description of my dress, or Jason's wedding hat, or the cake, or who said what to whom. Just rest assured that what was supposed to happen happened. And now we've joined hands to play, laugh, and work our way through this delightful marriage.