Sunday, June 22, 2008

For all my angst and complaining about going to yesterday's wedding, I can readily admit that I had a good time and it was beautiful. It was in a church way out in Olney, Maryland, and I just remember feeling real peaceful as soon as I stepped in there. Sure I was cracking jokes with my lady about the runner (aka the white carpet that led up to the altar), that kept getting wrinkled by people who were oblivious to it, and the creepy Christian rock music that was blaring thru the speakers. But other than that, I kept focused on the wedding. I think the part that struck me was when the pastor spoke on the various definitions of love. Nothing he mentioned was physical, but it was all about sacrifice, caring, remaining fair and calm and forgiveness. I didn't cry at all, but it forced me to check myself in a few areas, and based on our talk on the way home, but lady felt exactly the same. I wasn't quite moved to attend church on a regular basis(Sabin, I'm going to write that article), but I can say that I am thinking about getting back into the state of mind.

The most memorable moment of the wedding was when the groom got choked up. He was repeating the vows the pastor was reciting to him, and when he got to the "we are now one" portion, the groom just broke down. He literally had to take about 45 seconds before he could continue, and it was moving. The only time I have cried like that unexpectedly, is when I saw my son about 15 minutes after he was born. One minute I was excited and nervous, the next I was bawling. So I felt for the brother.

I must admit I have never attended a church with a white pastor, so this was a different experience. Based on the family members who attend this church, it looked to be a nice mix of both white and black families, but the pastor was white. He had this calm demeanor about him that I liked a lot. In fact he had one of those NPR voices that I wish I had..calm, smooth, very little emotion. Now who knows if I could sit through an entire sermon of a pastor with little voice inflection, but for this hour wedding I was definitely entranced.

The only downside of the wedding, was all the small talk afterwards. I had to meet like 10 members of the wedding party afterwards, and I only know the groom, and even then I only know him because of my lady. As long as I only had to shake hands, I was fine, but some people veered from the script and started asking me questions, and I would just wait for my lady to bail me out. And then there was this couple who was probably in their 70s, who chatted my girl and I to death. First they reeled us in with typical old people talk like where do you live, where did you go to college, what church do you go to(I hate that question..maybe its because i don't have one). But then the husband started trying to tell me about this business he had to help youngsters make money on the side. I kept trying to move the conversation to school, work and the wedding, but he was focused on getting me to pay attention to his damn business. Finally , I just asked for his card, hoping that would end things, but he kept talking. Luckily for me, my lady put her cape on, and saved me from this man's wrath. Those two old people were worse than Wedding Crashers..they came to the wedding to get their hustle on....it was kind of cute, but not really.

We Are One -Frankie Beverly

1 comment:

£ said...

weddings alternately bring out the cynic and the sentimental sides of me. But more sentiment than anything else. Thank goodness for waterproof mascara.

Anyway you may as well just get used to/and work on your wedding small talk skillz. Brides and grooms have to do the small talk during the whole reception. So practice practice practice. It'll come in handy for your own...well you know. lol