Random Thoughts

"There is no more lovely, friendly, and charming  relationship, communion or company  than a good marriage."  Martin Luther I've had marriage on my mind a lot lately. My daughter tied the knot on the 10th, and I just got home from a wedding held in our church. I think it may be the first wedding I've attended there since I arrived back in Jax 17 years ago. (An aside: SEVENTEEN years ago? How did that happen? It's almost as long as I was gone.) Bit I have attended a lot of funerals. Many were for people who had a long-time spouse standing in the front pew, covered from head to toe in heartache. What I saw in pictures from my Weneki, however, was a tender, sweet willingness to join one life to another and skip down the sidewalk. I've never met, Weneki's Kurt, but let me just say this. In my book, any guy who holds his new bride's hand and skips down a city sidewalk is a keeper.  Seriously folks, a guy who skips is a rare find. I don't t...

Sweetie and I just got back from a whirlwind trip to Oklahoma. Truth be told I think we spent more time in airports or crammed sardine-style in airplanes than in Oklahoma. Father/Brother Georges got married and it was my job as representative of my family (after my father passed away) to give my blessing on the woman he chose to marry. Now I don't know what he would have done if I'd gotten into town, given Maha the once over and said something along the lines of, "no I don't think so." It was kind of a no brainer that I would bless their union. How could I not. F/B Georges has waited for his true love long enough. It's time he got married and starts to practice what he preaches.  Maha is a beautiful lady. She is quiet and demure. But that might just be around people she doesn't know so well. I think she's got some party girl in her! It's kind of hard to imagine that a Syrian priest would find his Jordanian bride in Tulsa, Oklahoma. I mean, seriou...

“A wedding anniversary is the celebration of love, trust, partnership, tolerance and tenacity. The order varies for any given year.” Paul Sweeney My dad doesn't seem to want to wake up today. He roused himself at his normal time and got dressed for church, but he didn't make it very far past his napping chair. I worry that there's something wrong physically, but my guess is that his need for sleep is more of an emotional escape. How many times have I just crawled up under a blanket, assumed the fetal position, and prayed for blessed relief from memories or sadness. I think I recognize the signs. Sixty-six years ago today, on a distant Hawaiian island, surrounded by family, friends, the smell of Pikake blossoms and other tropical flowers, my mom and dad were married. My mom has been gone for four years, but that doesn't make the memories of that day go away; some things remain in clear focus even when you can't remember what happened yesterday. Sometimes it helps to...