Also known as, the happiest day of my life!
I found myself standing in the
bathroom, my nerves on high alert. People come in and out, look at me
and smile. It's obvious who I am, I'm wearing a cream colored crepe
back satin gown that I made myself, stitched my love and dreams into
every seam. My hair cascades down my back in it's signature tight
curls, and perched on top of them is a veil. I fidget with my left
ring finger, which is bare for the first time since that day in early
July. That day, I found myself shocked and thrilled as the love of my
life, down on one knee, proffered the 1 carat pear shaped diamond
sparkling on a sumptuous golden band and asked in a quavering,
anxious voice if I would be his forever.
My mom steps into the bathroom,
breaking my reverie, grinning from ear to ear. She looks amazing, her
alabaster skin gleaming in contrast to the plum colored mother of the
bride dress, the smile lighting up her face. She ducks in, saying to
my sister, "Everyone is down there, so go take your place."
My sister smiles, picks up her smaller
bouquet of purple roses, and steps outside. Taking my hand, my mom
looks at me, and for a moment I feel like a child again, seeking the
comfort of my mother's touch to protect me from the world.
"I am so happy for you!" she
says, tears choking her voice, "You are so beautiful today, and
Eric is such a good guy! I know he will take care of you."
We step into the
sunlight and the spectacular view unfolds in front of us. The sky, a
deep periwinkle blue, dashed with clouds as thick and white as
whipped cream. The sun is beginning to set and it's light is casting
a purple and pink hue through the clouds. The red rock rises above
us, barren except for the occasional sagebrush and the black tar path
that winds past us. We come down the path, hand in hand, the sunlight
warming my face. As we round a large bush, the gathering comes into
view.
Our family stands in clusters, all
dressed in plum and charcoal, all beaming at us, silhouetted against
the backdrop of the cliff. A 2,000 foot shear drop off into the
river below, where it meanders around the distant outcroppings that
seem to burst from the ground, layers of red and cream rock stacked,
seemingly endless, reaching toward the sky. Majestic and
breathtaking. And the best part is Eric, my love, my own. He stands
next to the bishop in his charcoal grey suit, and the shock and
surprise on his face is obvious. His mouth is literally hanging open,
gaping at me with fascination in his eyes. I blush, feeling the heat
rise to my face. His look is clear, he is blown away. He thinks I am
beautiful, more than beautiful. Stunning, breathtaking. I've never
had anyone look at me that way before.
And then I meet
Eric's eyes.
Suddenly, the rest of the crowd fades
away. I only have eyes for him, his short brown hair, his beautiful
beard that glows red in the light of the setting sun, his brown eyes
like pools of molten gold. Those eyes reach across the gulf, the sea
of heartache and sadness and draw me to him. The bishop grins
widely, and beckons me forward, though I need no beckoning.
Eric takes my hand in both of his,
caressing the back of my hand, his strength and love flowing through
me like electricity. I can see our lives together, late nights of
laughter, our children, quiet moments just holding hands and watching
TV. I can also see the hard times, the fights, deaths, family
troubles. And through it all, Eric and I, hand in hand, side by side.
The bishops beams around at the family,
some with tears in their eyes, and says, "Wow. Isn't this a
beautiful sight! I would like to divert from what I have prepared and
share this little story. This morning, my family and I took the hike
up to Delicate Arch. At first, it was great. Beautiful views, a nice
cool breeze. After a while though, we got tired. Our feet started
hurting. Our daughters discussed turning back. You can't see the arch
from the path, so we knew it was at the end, but not visible to us.
But, we persevere. We kept going. Finally, we got up to the Arch.
It was hard work, but the view was worth it. It was beautiful. This
is like marriage," he smiles at Eric and me, clasping hands,
"It's hard work, and you can't always see the end, but if you persevere, it will be worth it in the end."
~My Wedding Day!