Love and Marraige

I went to a wedding last weekend for friends, and being there made me wonder about "Love and Marriage". On top of the obvious thoughts, there were some unspoken moments which altered the moods of what should have been one of the happiest moments in their life.

First off, the grooms parents did not come. They did not agree with his choice to get married, both in terms of the timeframe, and the bride. The parents are Jamaican, and they may be described as "traditional" and "old-fashioned" which is a codeword for being stubborn and set in their ways. So their absence, was basically saying we don't support you and hope you fail. Its true, that everyone thought it was rushed, I mean, its been no more than two years since they first met. But the bride's side and their true friends, still supported them once it has gotten this far. On top of that, most of his local family and friends didn't even show up. The entire crowd was basically the bride's family and her friends. The groomsmen were his friends, yet they didn't seem as enthused about the situation. It was an interesting experience to behold, and I wonder how I would react in that situation.

I could imagine that this is one of the most important days of his life, where he takes the plunge into the biggest decision of his life. There's no turning back and the consequences will last a lifetime. I would have to do amazing soul-searching, prayer, analyses of different situations, and talking with those closest to me to make sure I understand what I'm doing, why I'm doing it and all the risks involved with it. After doing all that and continuing to go forward, I'd want to know that people I care about will be there. This is the most important day of my life, and I'd want people to share in it with me. I thought of that movie "27 Dresses" where they mentioned looking at the groom as the bride begins to make her way down the aisle. At that moment, the grooms face would have all the hope, happiness, or even fear and regret. It was a typical movie lie. But I can not imagine looking into the crowd at that moment, and seeing all the empty seats. Thinking of all the other important people in my life, that chose to not be there...

Yet at the same time, I amazingly respect him for that. He's made a choice against their wishes, without the support of most of his family and friends. He went through with it anyway. That truly takes a lot. To make a decision with so many reasons to put it off or not do it at all... yet doing what you need to for the Right reason.