Wedding Musings: New Era, Early Dreams, The Hurdle

A couple of weeks ago I sat amongst large numbers to witness my friend Ben tie the vows with his college sweetheart Lacee. Numerous things surrounding the event have popped in my head:

In many ways, the event was monumental to the jock and top social tier of MHS Class of 2002. His wedding celebration chronologically occurred this July as did Maggie H’s recepetion. Berg was right in coining this era the “Summer of Love”. Given Ben’s continued strong social ties throughout college with high school elite and the pure immensity of his celebration, the wedding has to be considered the symbolic kick-off to adulthood for this class. The movement towards adulthood has extreme importance for other overlapping organizations including The Secret Ninjas, The New Clique (encompassing now both genders), MHS 2002 Jocks, and of course The Racing Red. The historic activities of yesteryear such as gatherings at Web’s house for 21, playing trampoline “games”, lingering in basements playing cards, drinking heavily at various locales in EC, and wandering the streets of North Mitsch can all be placed into the childhood era and looked back in reminiscence.

Ben’s wedding was in reality the quintessential childhood wedding dream of mine. Remembering childhood thoughts of marriage, I wanted the following:

1. A large group setting with close friends at the time (from school in EC) along with a vast numbers of acquaintances and family. Most of Ben’s close friends were there along with notable buddies Jake, Jahn, Web, and brother Nate standing besides him as groomsmen. Legions of others including friends and family roamed the grounds and joined him at the ceremony.

2. The stage of the wedding reception to be in a natural area, the flora, fauna and the earth to be the backdrop of the party. Located in the middle of Minnesota with land bordering the lake and cultivated soil, Ben’s reception took place in a beautiful setting. The reception was primarily in a larger garage/barn, many sat and ate outside as well as participated in ultimate and volleyball.

3. The marriage of myself with a bride who has similar passions and goals. From knowing Ben/Lasee and being present at the wedding, their passions and goals are clearly aligned. It’s amazingly easy to observe that their priorities include relationship with God, service to others, and community with friends.

While vast majority of us are single and trying to figure out exactly who we are, there is the minority that has entered into matrimony and passed some sort of relationship hurdle. For some people who are either lucky or have a head start in the mating game, the opportunity for committed relational bonds is like running the elementary school hurdles (stupid pieces of plastic). But for some of us, we feel like midgets trying to run the high school 110 meter high hurdles inevitably facing nearly impossible obstacles. For myself, I’ve just avoided the game recently and have instead left the track focusing on other tasks and duties so that I may forget about the relational problems I face now and in the future. Ben as well as others who have committed no longer has this hurdle in front of them though there surely are other relational challenges to face.