On November 17, I attended a party to celebrate my in-laws’ 60th wedding anniversary. It was held in Alvin, Texas at the church where they were originally married. The church was the same, not the building. The entire family pitched in to put together this event. Friends and family of Mimi and Papa were invited.
The best part of the party was when they renewed their vows. Pastor Hastings did such a wonderful job and we were so moved by the immensity of the event, that there was not a dry eye in the church. Even the photographer teared up.
Let’s go back to when they said their vows the first time. A new family begins. And they have mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, grandparents, uncles, aunts, nieces, nephews, the list goes on. All these people coming together as a family. As time progressed some have left us and others have joined us. The group is not the same. And yet we are still family. We sorrow in the lost of those whose journey moved them to a different plane and rejoice in the new members who join us in our journey.
We have different views on politics, religion, and all the day to day affairs that fill up our lives. We may have disagreements, we may have falling outs, we may even hurt one another at times. But when one of us experiences good fortune, we rejoice with them. When one of us suffers a setback, we all share their pain and are there to help them get through the rough times.
Always, the song under it all remains the same. It is strong. It has endured the years and continues across the generations. And it will be there as the binding force that holds us together. It brought us to tears when we stopped long enough to listen for it. There in the chapel, surrounded by friends and family we heard the song. It is love. It is quiet, but it is powerful. And that is how it should be.
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