Real life ... Real love ...

I just got back from a wedding ... nothing new there for me, I realise ... but I started reflecting on what it means to be with one person for a long time, what it means to be married, what it means to live in real life, every day ... tired and emotional? Sure, it was a long day, full of emotion, my day starting with my beautiful bride getting a little stressed and my having to spend some time with her, in private, to help calm her ... but the love that I witnessed between these two people had me musing about the whole marriage thing ... so I wanted to blog a poem "The Art of Marriage" by Wilferd A. Peterson by way of expressing how I feel about marriage ...

A good marriage must be created

In the marriage the little things are the big things

It is never being too old to hold hands

It is remembering to say 'I love you' at least once a day

It is never going to sleep angry

It is having a mutual sense of values and common objectives

It is standing together and facing the world...

It is forming a circle of love that gathers in the whole family

It is speaking words of appreciation and demonstrating gratitude in thoughtful ways

It is having the capacity to forgive and forget

It is giving each other an atmosphere in which each can grow

It is a common search for the good and the beautiful

It is not only marrying the right person

It is being the right partner.

The following photo from today's wedding prompted me to add ...

a good marriage ... is built on the ability to laugh out loud, together...

I feel so totally priviliged to be allowed into the "inner sanctum" of so many marriages ... as wedding photographers we have access-all-areas passes and witness so much more than the mere mortal guest or family member. I wanted to take this opportunity to thank all my couples for having me, for trusting me to capture their most important day, for allowing me to be such a huge part of it ... I feel truly privileged ... thank you.