?Once upon a time, a prince and princess got married and lived happily ever after. Nowadays, they get married and then divorced and forget about the ever after thing,? observed Ed, my neighbour next door. Ed was all fired up because Ruby, his wife, has been adding to her collection of royal wedding memorabilia. Ed says Ruby is more excited now than when Prince Charles and Diana got married.
Ruby readily expresses her views, ?Ed is no prince and I don?t live in a palace. I have an engagement ring that has a tiny diamond chip. Kate is getting a prince and she already has an 18 carat sapphire and diamond ring. She will never have to clean house, cook meals or do the laundry. She will stand around looking beautiful beside her handsome prince. I am not jealous or envious. I just thrive on it all, knowing it could have been me as the princess. But, since I?m stuck with Ed instead, I?ll cheer the royal couple on,? explains Ruby.
?Do you see Kate Middleton as very fortunate in that she is becoming a princess bride?? I asked Ruby.
?Certainly. How could she marry any better? Prince William is a somebody, not a nobody!? Ruby emphasized. ?Trust me. We females want to be the beautiful princess that gets the prince, but we cheer when it happens to others.?
It seems to me, many people would agree with Ruby that marrying a prince is as good as it gets. Royal weddings seem to inspire the interest of people worldwide. All the details like the wedding dress, the cake, the invited dignitaries, where it is held and how long the ceremony lasts become part of the total event to be seen and critiqued. Millions will watch the royal wedding on their televisions.
I cannot speak for the millions who will watch the wedding, but I wish the couple well. I pray they may live happily ever after. To me, the wedding is an occasion on a specific day, but the marriage is meant to last for the couple?s lifetime. On a wedding day, a couple will vow before God and witnesses to take each other as husband and wife. They express a willingness to become a husband or a wife to each other from that day forth. They often do so with words like, ?I take you, to have and to hold, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish until death parts us, and I pledge you my faithfulness.?
A marriage is an opportunity to grow in the love God has given for us in his Son Jesus Christ. A love that is focused on giving what the other person needs. A love that is patient and kind. Such love does not envy or boast. It is not rude, self-seeking, easily angered or keep a record of wrongs. It rejoices in the truth and rejects evil. It always protects, trusts, hopes and perseveres. Love between a prince and princess can crack and even fail but the words, ?I love you,? are always powerful.
My best wishes for William and Kate are borrowed from Canadian poets; first I wish them hope. Poet Sherry Ullmann defines, ?Hope as a tender word, a gentle touch, a look, a kiss.? My second wish for them is that they will always walk hand in hand. Poet Patricia Roadhouse writes: ?You and I, my hand in yours. My heart skips a beat at your touch. When you take my hand, you touch my soul. I love you so.?
