It's one of those things I have so much to say but I have no idea how to start...
Weddings.
Until just, while I was driving home and I heard on 100.3 a very touching true story of a married couple.
A couple who have been married for 13 years; and in these 13 years, the wife's anniversary wish every year was simply to have a romantic wedding photo taken of both of them with herself in a white bridal gown and her husband in a tuxedo.
However, due to unfortunate physical circumstances her husband was burdened with, year after year as he deteriorated, he grew further and further away from his wedding gift to her.
As he was lying in the hospital, bed-ridden and amputated to the knee in one leg and amputated at the feet on the other side, breathing weakly through his oxygen mask, his wife walked into his ward in a pure white bridal gown.
His eyes were filled with tears seeing his wife so beautifully dolled up, since it's been awhile since she's had the energy and motivation to dress up.
He whispered, " I love you and I'm sorry I can't give you much happiness nor fulfill your wish, But if you will let me, I would love to be your husband again in our next life."
You must be wondering why am I writing about weddings out of a sudden. Nope! Im not getting married any time soon. However I did attend a friend's wedding recently and though it was a simple church wedding, it left an impression on me. Also, it's because I've been digging deep to understand myself better. Such as what makes me cry? happy? or sad? And I realized that I'm not someone who's very emotional and tear easily. But tears rolled uncontrollably as I heard this. Somehow, I have a very soft spot for weddings and real love stories. I may not necessarily know the couple very well, but somehow, whenever I attend weddings, I never fail to tear. (I can't help but tear as I'm writing this.)
There's something about weddings and real-life love stories that seems so magical yet so grounded and close to the heart. As a kid, I use to think how the wedding day would be such a big deal and once THE day is over, all the hype and excitement would dim down. But as I grew older, I realized when the day my turn comes, it isn't just that day I would be looking forward to. It's from that day forth and everyday after that truly matters.
I am definitely in no position to preach about marriage or everlasting love, but as cheesy as it may sound, I have an ideal vision towards love/marriage because I feel my parents portray what I define as love. During their 25th wedding anniversary celebration last year, the most memorable part was when the priest emphasized that a marriage is a covenant not a contract. To me, this is the beauty of a marriage; a sacred promise that 2 people hold. You might think I'm old fashioned or idealistic, but to me, a marriage is a happily ever after. This doesn't imply that a successful relationship has no challenges or problems. In fact, most find it easy to accept the plus points and good days of your partner but intolerable when he/she is having their off days or has habits you simply can't stand. And that's where love comes in. It is to accept wholeheartedly the things you detest of him/her and not to bear grudges. Thus, a happily ever after isn't about a perfect relationship. But, in spite of the challenges we face or the habits we love to hate, we walk hand in hand with the one we love. Like the story from the radio, when he asked his wife if she would let him be her husband again. His simple and sincere affirmation illustrates my definition of a happily ever after. I'm sure in his sick years, there are many occasions his wife had to accommodate extensively, and the husband himself must have experienced frustrations we cannot understand. Yet the couple didn't fall short of the vows they took. They took a step further hoping their vows would go beyond death. How many couples today love their spouse so much, that they would hope to love them once more in another world and another life?
I am definitely in no position to preach about marriage or everlasting love, but as cheesy as it may sound, I have an ideal vision towards love/marriage because I feel my parents portray what I define as love. During their 25th wedding anniversary celebration last year, the most memorable part was when the priest emphasized that a marriage is a covenant not a contract. To me, this is the beauty of a marriage; a sacred promise that 2 people hold. You might think I'm old fashioned or idealistic, but to me, a marriage is a happily ever after. This doesn't imply that a successful relationship has no challenges or problems. In fact, most find it easy to accept the plus points and good days of your partner but intolerable when he/she is having their off days or has habits you simply can't stand. And that's where love comes in. It is to accept wholeheartedly the things you detest of him/her and not to bear grudges. Thus, a happily ever after isn't about a perfect relationship. But, in spite of the challenges we face or the habits we love to hate, we walk hand in hand with the one we love. Like the story from the radio, when he asked his wife if she would let him be her husband again. His simple and sincere affirmation illustrates my definition of a happily ever after. I'm sure in his sick years, there are many occasions his wife had to accommodate extensively, and the husband himself must have experienced frustrations we cannot understand. Yet the couple didn't fall short of the vows they took. They took a step further hoping their vows would go beyond death. How many couples today love their spouse so much, that they would hope to love them once more in another world and another life?
To share life's journey, heart to heart and side by side."
~via Vanessa Tan~
No comments:
Post a Comment