There were a few tentative steps at first. Was this too slow? Too fast?
After four or five steps on our way, the piano answered those questions and then we were on the right pace, being swept along by the smiles and the good wishes.
It was a fun and quick stroll. Some walks are like that. Some walks never seem to end and some are over before you have enough time to ponder where you went or to even think about how fun the stroll was.
The walk that I took last Saturday afternoon was with our daughter Laurel. Our pathway was the center aisle at Granite Falls Lutheran Church. It went by too fast, just like many events that happen once-in-a-lifetime. I can almost remember each step of the way and yet, it went by so fast that I could hardly feel like my feet were touching the church carpet.
As a young parent you don’t think about those future weddings. You’re just too busy with the day to day details at hand. Later, when there’s a bit more time to think about things, you begin to wonder how it will feel to walk with your daughter down the church aisle at her wedding. You begin to wonder how it will feel to hand her off to a young guy and what it will be like to sit in the front pew and watch as they promise to be there for each other.
Still later, when the wedding is happening, it all unfolds fast-an amazing blur of events and a remarkable mix of feelings.
A wedding in your family leaves no doubt that you’ve passed a threshold. You feel very good and a little proud. You feel a lot of happiness and a big urge to slow down and savor the whole event, moment by moment. That, of course, can’t possibly happen and so you just grab on and let it all take you for a ride.
The wedding music is terrific and the bridesmaids and groomsmen all look like they wouldn’t dream of being anywhere else. The ushers are looking forward to the reception. It is full of fun-about-to-be.
The flower girl is cute in her dress and hair ribbons and the ring bearers look as good in a their little tuxedos as any guy who ever thought of dressing up for a big occasion.
Well wishers with their congratulations are everywhere and everyone is happy. It all happens too fast and there are more folks to talk to and more to say than you will ever have time for.
The whole event is so much fun that you replay things over and over in your head for days and then you talk about it some more.
For several months the planning moved ahead and then in an afternoon and an evening, it was all done.
You’ve gained a son-in-law and you’ve seen your daughter move on a bit more with her life. It was something that you wondered about a long time ago back when it seemed to be far away. And it all started with a stroll, in time with the piano, down an aisle with carpet that didn’t seem to be touching your feet.
|
|
|
There were a few tentative steps at first. Was this too slow? Too fast?
After four or five steps on our way, the piano answered those questions and then we were on the right pace, being swept along by the smiles and the good wishes.
It was a fun and quick stroll. Some walks are like that. Some walks never seem to end and some are over before you have enough time to ponder where you went or to even think about how fun the stroll was.
The walk that I took last Saturday afternoon was with our daughter Laurel. Our pathway was the center aisle at Granite Falls Lutheran Church. It went by too fast, just like many events that happen once-in-a-lifetime. I can almost remember each step of the way and yet, it went by so fast that I could hardly feel like my feet were touching the church carpet.
As a young parent you don’t think about those future weddings. You’re just too busy with the day to day details at hand. Later, when there’s a bit more time to think about things, you begin to wonder how it will feel to walk with your daughter down the church aisle at her wedding. You begin to wonder how it will feel to hand her off to a young guy and what it will be like to sit in the front pew and watch as they promise to be there for each other.
Still later, when the wedding is happening, it all unfolds fast-an amazing blur of events and a remarkable mix of feelings.
A wedding in your family leaves no doubt that you’ve passed a threshold. You feel very good and a little proud. You feel a lot of happiness and a big urge to slow down and savor the whole event, moment by moment. That, of course, can’t possibly happen and so you just grab on and let it all take you for a ride.
The wedding music is terrific and the bridesmaids and groomsmen all look like they wouldn’t dream of being anywhere else. The ushers are looking forward to the reception. It is full of fun-about-to-be.
The flower girl is cute in her dress and hair ribbons and the ring bearers look as good in a their little tuxedos as any guy who ever thought of dressing up for a big occasion.
Well wishers with their congratulations are everywhere and everyone is happy. It all happens too fast and there are more folks to talk to and more to say than you will ever have time for.
The whole event is so much fun that you replay things over and over in your head for days and then you talk about it some more.
For several months the planning moved ahead and then in an afternoon and an evening, it was all done.
You’ve gained a son-in-law and you’ve seen your daughter move on a bit more with her life. It was something that you wondered about a long time ago back when it seemed to be far away. And it all started with a stroll, in time with the piano, down an aisle with carpet that didn’t seem to be touching your feet.
