I may have posted this before; if so, I apologize. It occurred to me again because my neighbor's son is marrying a Jewish woman and will have a (moderately) Jewish ceremony. I'm going to crochet a chuppah covering for them because, as we all know, no chuppah, no shtuppah. The father of the groom, a fine carpenter, will build the chuppah structure.
This is the ideal wedding dance. It always gives me goosebumps.
Speaking of rituals, I finally realized that what I needed to do was have a proper Episcopalian church funeral for my aunt right here in my hometown, just for me and my friends and neighbors. That way I can attend the family thing that's going to happen in San Antonio next month without any tension. I've engaged a bagpiper, chosen the Old and New Testament readings and hymns, and set everything up for next Friday. A friend is going to be kind enough to drive down from Houston.
I think I may have made some attempt to dance at my wedding, though in a purely pro forma fashion. In fact, I'm not really sure that there was dancing at all; maybe I just led her out on the floor. It's all very hard to remember.
ReplyDeleteIt was a dry wedding too -- Georgia on a Sunday. I was totally sober, just too excited to remember anything. The whole day is a blur. If it weren't for the witnesses, I couldn't be sure we'd ever really taken the oaths.
I think you're making the right decision regarding the funeral. It is proper to commemorate the dead in the fashion we feels does them due honor, and satisfies our particular duty to them. If you did something less than what you feel is warranted, to get along with others, you would always regret it -- it would seem a thing you ought to have done, and left undone.
That'll be a neat chuppah. Can you post pictures later?
ReplyDeleteNo dancing at my wedding; I'm wholly incapable of it, having all the rhythm of a box of rock. No drinking, either. It wasn't dry on that Iowa Monday, but we were getting married on a three-day break, and we had to drive back to Duluth for duty.
No honeymoon, either. But I've been on my honeymoon for all of these years.
Good luck and as much happiness as the Universe holds to the newlyweds.
Eric Hines
Thanks, Eric.
ReplyDeleteGrim -- yes, I think this is going to help. I was about to go all Antigone on their ass.
My brother and his wife took tango lessons and surprised the heck out of everyone - modestly, though. She's originally Brethren (Dunkard). And their wedding was dry, in part because a lot of people had to travel that evening or early the next day, and partly because of cost.
ReplyDeleteLittleRed1