Life Tides

Once upon a time that now seems like a memory of both yesterday and a century ago, there was a young woman who said “yes” to a question posed on the beach one fine, sunny day (actually, it was pitch-black and winter-cold, but let’s pretend).

This soon-to-be bride was in need of, among other things, a flower girl. Given family ties and age requirements, there was one obvious choice for the position at hand: her little, little cousin.

And so, one fine, sunny day (actually, it was cloudy and rainy until right before the ceremony, but we’re good at pretending), before the big cousin entered the wedding sanctuary, the little, little cousin carried flowers down the aisle alongside a little, little nephew bearing rings.

After the nuptials, the couple’s happily ever after began and continued on for quite a few years. Then, one fine, sunny day (no pretending needed here), the big cousin loaded her LCB and her small people into her minivan (the vehicle she never saw coming on the day of the vows), and drove to Florida to witness the eventide nuptials of the little, little cousin, who was not so little anymore. The one-time flower girl held flowers again that evening, but this time they were bridal flowers.

During the ceremony, another little girl sat beside me, mesmerized by her first wedding.

And I know that I’ll turn away for what will seem like a second, and I’ll turn back, and the girl who was just sitting beside me will now be the woman standing before me, taking her own vows.

I suppose, in one sense, I should be sad about this.

And so I am. Moments that come this close to perfection are not ones I relinquish lightly.

But then I think of all the moments that span a lifetime, moments sometimes so hard they take my breath away, and yet moments that are so joy-infused, so grace-infused,

and I think, why would I ever wish to slow the tide of those moments for her?

***

P.S. If any of you ever remind me of this post when any of the small people actually get married, I will stuff your mattress with chigger-filled Spanish moss and I will feel no remorse whatsoever.

Just saying.