On the Eve of the Eve of My Daughter's Wedding

 

I am learning love...

"something old,

something new,

something borrowed,

something blue..."

to wrap you up in the Celtic spells,

the Wind's heart blown clouds,

Earth's sculpted stones,

Fire's love strewn lights,

and Celestial Beltane moons

because how else does this magic start?

I am learning love...

"for better,

for worse,

in sickness and in health,

until death..."

to wrap you up in Egyptian charms,

memories of our youth, 

mistakes made and forgivenesses given,

grandparents' storied souls and

gifts received from my lost love,

because how else are we blessed?

I am learning love...

"I hear my Beloved

See how he comes leaping on the mountains, bounding over the hills,

My Beloved is like a gazelle, like a young stag...

My Beloved is mine and I am his..."

to wrap you up in the holiest prayers,

the love of family, of aunts and uncles,

babies sweet breath scented by Mother's milk,

the exuberance of best friends forever,

and the adoration of old dogs and young kittens,

because what else could be stronger?

I am learning love...

""My Beloved lifts up his voice, he says to me,

"Come then my love, my lovely one, come"

My dove, hiding in the clefts of the rock,

in the coverts of the cliff, show me your face, let me hear your voice,

for your voice is sweet and your face is beautiful...""

To wrap you up in the magic

of "being here now",

the song of the nesting swallows,

fresh eggs of the Spring chickens,

newly hatched blue birds returned from extinction's edge,

rain drenched Spring,

for what else guarantees joy?

I am learning love...

"Love is always patient and kind; 

it is never jealous; love is never boastful or conceited; 

it is never rude or selfish; it does not take offense, and is not resentful.

Love takes no pleasure in other people's sins but delights in the truth; 

it is aways ready to excuse, to trust, to hope, and to endure whatever comes.

Loves does not come to an end."

to wrap you up in the hope of possibilities,

and trust that the waves of grief equal the depth of you,

that eternities start again everyday,

like the double helix of our beginnings,

an ancient code rewritten with each new birth,

recording you Love, 

because what else remains forever?

I am learning Love...

that Love itself wraps itself

around and around our hearts 

binding us to one another

when we least go looking.

I have found Love

is the way of our souls,

of our flesh encircled by our souls,

of our magic that as we touch

expands outward to eternity.

I am learning love.

"The soul needs love as urgently as the body needs air. In the warmth of love, the soul can be itself. All the possibilities of your human destiny are asleep in your soul. You are here to realize and honor these possibilities. When love comes in your life, unrecognized dimensions of your destiny awaken and blossom and grow. 

–John O'Donohue, Anam Cara