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Adventures with an unreliable narrator.

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Oct 19 03: further patriotic duty

What’s the best way to celebrate National Marriage Protection Week? With a marriage.

For instance: go to Maine in the company of old old friends. Take in the stunning natural beauty of some little seaside town—the steely ocean, the riotous leaves, the stones that bespeak strength and solidity and solemn endurance of storm and sunrise for uncounted years—with someone you love, or, failing that, while thinking of the person you love who is unable to be there with you. Bear witness to the union of a figure from your checkered past with somebody the friend met in Boston who makes him (or her) deliriously happy. During the ceremony, if one of the celebrants’ faces is lit up with overwhelming joy and hope and love for the other, feel free to sniffle. Admire the way the officiant manages to combine the Christian and Jewish wedding rites into something that contains the best bits of both. Sing: during the ceremony, at the reception; whenever it is asked of you, with all the skill and verve and gusto you can manage. Get choked up when the celebrants exchange vows. Attend the post-reception party, but only after attending the pre-post-reception-party reception. Sing at both of those as well. Join in the composition of a song celebrating the new union, preferably one which will embarass and amuse each of the honorees in equal measure; extra points if you can perform it to the tune of “the other guy’s” school song. Let the revels carry on late into the night. Turn it into a wingding of historic proportions. Sing songs nobody really remembers the words to, or the harmonies either.

Throughout all of this, honor the marriage at hand. Honor the spirit of optimism and commitment and hope and love that lead two people to take this kind of plunge. Honor the desire to create a stable family structure upon which to hang one’s future plans. Honor the way such celebrations knit a couple’s family and friends together into a community. Honor the conviction (in the hearts of the celebrants; in your own) that the couple will be able to weather the tricky bits of the future through mutual love and respect and understanding and tenderness. Keep singing. At judicious intervals, take a moment to rehydrate.

Joel and Steven got married this weekend. May they be showered with blessings all the days of their lives.

Commentary

To think I missed this magic for a mere fucking job. Tis’ a shame we can’t survive on love alone, but need food, too. On the other hand, all the singing might have driven me mad.

Ugh!

posted by paul, Oct 23 03 8:09 PM

Well, I missed you profoundly, and yes, you would have loved the magic. Various other folks—that delightful Kate Lunde, for instance—asked after you as well, and expressed sorrow that you couldn’t hang out with them once the dark a capella ceremonies had begun.

But I suspect that yes, the singing might have driven you mad.

posted by Andrew, Oct 24 03 7:33 PM

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