A wedding is in the offing. My son Daniel will be getting married in the near future and while it will not be the wedding he and his fiancé had been planning for well over a year, married they will be. Nothing this year seems to be going according to plan as 2020 feels more like the year of Murphy’s Law (anything that can go wrong will go wrong) than the Chinese Year of the Rat which represents new beginnings and fresh starts.
The little boy with convincing bright blue eyes that for many months created a charade of colors from blue to green before settling into my mother’s eye color. Thick blonde curls and large expressive hazel eyes brought the attention of many passersby. People would stop me to admire Daniel’s curls wanting to lay their hand on the top of his head much like wanting to rub Buddha’s belly in hopes of wealth, good luck, and prosperity. This little boy is now a man and he will be marrying his beautiful soul mate.
A story board will be added to the modest yet meaningful wedding celebration of less than a dozen people. Sorting through photographs emotionally overwhelmed and sentimentally engaged I put my efforts towards creating a collection of images representing my son’s life with us… the original four. One image was cuter than the last, but the task was to select only ten to fifteen images based on the size of the photograph. Photographs capture a moment in time and there were so many moments spread out over my coffee table and sofa. How will I ever choose? How will I tell his photographic story? The images that speak to his gentleness and expansive heart? Eating cheerios out of his favorite straw basket in his pajamas on the kitchen floor? A blurry swimming pool image of Daniel just months old, our daughter Emily age three and my husband Jon floating in the most beautiful crystal water at my parents’ home? Did I want to choose that picture because I wanted to remember, or I don’t want him to forget? The soccer pictures, family beach vacation pictures, school pictures, jazz band pictures, our life living abroad in London, the many school graduation pictures and then the special family pictures. So very many special family photographs. I made sure four of my allotted number were dedicated to images of Daniel with each of his grandparents.
How do we sum up a blink of an eye?
Your children are not your children. They are the sons and daughters of Life’s longing for itself. Kahlil Gibran
This is deeply beautiful in so many ways! Congratulations! I wish all the happiness and love in the world for your son and his soul mate!
Thank you so very much Cynthia!
Just reading this Liz – remembering that curly haired little boy born in March of 1989 like my Julie – seems like yesterday as they were our babies- fast forward to now where Dan and Emily live close to me and although we don’t see them much when we do it’s as if no time has passed and they are one of my favorite couples – I am thrilled that Covid didn’t stop them and wishing them a lifetime of happiness – love you all and so excited for Emily & Jon too- having just had a granddaughter born in this pandemic it is like no other time in history and these babies will be strong and resilient – love and happiness to all ❤️