The seminal events in our lives shape our spiritual growth. The big ones, well, they are opportunities to grow with many others simultaneously collectively. Joyous celebrations that mark turning points are events that bring the participants closer to the elemental One.
Whatever your beliefs are, the apparent connection created between dozens of people when they witness the joining of two people into one lifelong commitment is a representation of love. It is the real-time spiritual growth of a community.
This last weekend my daughter was married to a man I love and respect. Their celebration brought together strangers whose spirits collectively soared. What a fantastic thing this is.
Here I share with you my readings from the wedding.
From "The Prophet" - Kahlil Gibran
Excerpt 1
Your children are not your children.
They are the sons and daughters of life's longing for
itself.
They come through you but not from you,
And though they are with you they belong not to you.
You may give them your love but not your thoughts,
For they have their own thoughts.
You may house their bodies but not their souls,
For their souls dwell in the house tomorrow, which you
cannot visit, not even in your dreams.
You may strive to be like them, but seek not to make
them like you.
For life goes not backward nor tarries with yesterday.
You are the bow from which your children as living
arrows are set forth.
The archer sees the mark upon the path of the infinite,
and He bends you with his might that His arrow may
go swift and far.
Let your bending in the archers hand be for gladness;
For even as He loves the arrow that flies, so He loves also
the bow that is stable.
Excerpt 2
But let there be spaces in your togetherness,
And let the winds of the heavens dance between you
Love one another, but make not a bond of love:
Let it rather be a moving sea between the shores
of your souls.
Fill each others cup but drink not from one cup.
Give one another of your bread but eat not from the
same loaf
Sing and be joyous, but let
each one of you be alone,
Even as the strings of the lute are alone though they
quiver with the same music.
Give your hearts, but not into each others keeping.
For only the hand of life can contain your hearts.
And staying together yet not too near together:
For the pillars of the temple stand apart,
And the oak tree and the cypress grow not in
each other's shadow.
