Many people think that a woman’s wedding day is the best day of her life. Little girls spend countless hours dreaming of the day they will wear a white princess dress and walk down the aisle towards their prince charming waiting at the altar.
I admit, I was fully invested in that dream myself. Dave and I had beautiful wedding, small but with all the trimmings; white dress, church, beautiful flowers, and a clear sunny day with our family and friends in attendance. And in all honesty, it was the best day of my life, up to that point.
Since then, there have been so many more “best days,” too many, in fact, to list. As I sit here and try to recall them all I realize just how many wonderful days I’ve been blessed with throughout my life. Some were life-changing like the days my children and then grandchildren were born while others were simple and sweet. The one common thread that runs through all these best days is the awareness of being connected to something greater than myself and the fleeting feeling of contented rightness of the world.
Today our family celebrates one of those days five years ago when our daughter Maggie married her husband Jan. Any notions of perfection I had as a young bride on my wedding day were totally eclipsed by the feelings in my heart on the day I witnessed my daughter join her beloved at the altar. It was one of those moments where time seems to stand still and the universe is focused on one thing.
As a parent there is no greater happiness than knowing your children are happy. And, I suppose that having been blessed with a loving husband and marriage, there is no greater hope I could have is the same for them.
Today, five years later, my wish for them is that as beautiful as it was, their wedding day was only one of the many “best days” they will share as they continue on their marriage adventure.