A Toast to the Bride and Groom

It would seem, that once again, it falls to me to speak….Guess it’s a good thing I’m rarely at a loss for words huh?

Those of you that know me will be happy to note that I have finally made investment in Kleenex tissue stock…cos I’m a girl scout.

I could start this with a “Once Upon a Time”…but we’re all way to old to have time enough for that, so instead I’ll start from my beginning with the newlyweds.

I’ve known Brenda for virtually as long as she’s been on the Island. Not as long as many of you and longer than some of you. Right from the beginning we developed a rapport that was something like a sisterhood. Bee is my sister wise and I have, right from the beginning, been drawn to her strength of character and integrity. I like it that she strives to be the best she can be all the time, not just some of the time. I know that I’m lucky to have someone as sincere and as heartfelt on my side. I like it that we’ve become the kind of friends that allows her to tell me to shut up…even when no one else will…Bee’s been through a lot in the last couple of years and I’ve been worried about her.

A couple of years into my friendship with Bee, I happened to run into Bryan…in all honesty it was his trike that first caught my attention. I was at Clover Point with my visiting maiden aunts and the Voice of Doom and spotted his trike and virtually abandoned my family for talking to he and Gator. Gator had just recently met Ali, the love of his life and Bryan was a little bereft. I remember clearly two things from that day….I remember the maiden aunts and the Voice of Doom twittering about Bryan’s big wonderful smile and I remember feeling right from the beginning that Bryan and I would become fast friends.

So now I can fast forward to July 2004 and Bryan and I decide to ride our trikes to Salmon Arm for the Summer Stomp, just like adults. Bee, ever the social butterfly is driving her van with a gaggle of women on board. I had introduced the two of them previous to this weekend…but this was the first time they actually got to spend some time with each other. We all spent different parts of the weekend with each other and many other friends and then we returned to the Island.

So

Here’s where I could fill your ears with all kinds of stories and suppositions about destiny, and karma and things being meant to be, but what I will remember forever is a call from Bee in her oh so politically correct and professional voice asking me “if I’d mind if she was receptive to contact from Bryan as they’d twinkled at the Summer Stomp”

Twinkled says I?
What the hell is twinkled?

Apparently…twinkled they did. And inspite of the odds, and the roadblocks large and small, Bryan and Bee became a couple.

I held my breath, and I (ever the selfish one) lived for a while in abject terror that something would happen and they’d quit talking to each other. I mean really? Where the hell would I be if my best male friend and my best female friend couldn’t stand each other.

But as we can all see…luck and destiny and karma were on my side and they truly fell in love.….and as it turns out karma and destiny were taking control because through time they found out that they went to public school together, Bryan a grade behind Bee…he remembers her but she doesn’t remember him.

From the outside….I love it that they see the best and the worst of each other. I love it that they take turns being the strong one and the soft one. I love it that they work so hard at respecting each other and operating within integrity with each other. I love it that they have built a life together, and I am honored to be here at the beginning of this newest chapter.

Brenda and Bryan, May your marriage bring you all the exquisite excitements a marriage should bring, and may life grant you also patience, tolerance, and understanding.

May you always need one another - not so much to fill your emptiness as to help you know your fullness.

May you need one another, but not out of weakness.

May you want one another, but not out of lack.

May you entice one another, but not compel one another.

May you succeed in all important ways with one another, and not fail in the little graces.

May you look for things to praise, often say, "I love you!" and take no notice of small faults.

May you race to be the first to say I’m sorry.

May you enter into the mystery which is the awareness of one another's presence - no more physical than spiritual, warm and near when you are side by side, and warm and near when you are in separate rooms or even distant cities.

May you have happiness, and may you find it making one another happy.

May you have love, and may you find it loving one another!

Ladies and Gentlemen please raise your glasses

A Toast!

To the Bride and Groom!