Traditions and history and royalty, oh my!

I was excited. April 29th was going to be a fun day. Not because I took the day off from work; that was planned long ago for a medical appointment and that's not something I ever look forward to. And not because it was a Friday; Friday's aren’t exciting until 5:00pm in my opinion. The reason I looked forward to that day with excitement and anticipation was due to an event I wasn't even invited to; the royal wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton.

Way back when, I missed Charles and Diana's wedding and I couldn’t have cared less. But now older and wiser, I realized that this was an event that had no recent parallels in terms of grandeur and world interest. It was history in the making. I traveled to England for the first time just one year ago and was completely swept up in its love of tradition and history The lineage and tradition of both modern and ancient English royals cannot be extricated and when you visit the castles and palaces, you realize what an amazing history it really is.

Still, many Americans have no interest in the British monarchy. . We have a bit of a chip on our shoulder considering what our forefathers went through. But the British have a fascinating history and it's hard not to pay just a little bit of attention when you see a Royal Guardsman on his fine black horse or a castle thousands of years old.

My own husband is proof in the proverbial figgy pudding of possible conversion. He changed his anti-royal tune when he discovered the British people themselves favor having a monarchy and after our trip to England, the deal was sealed.

So at 4:30am, I poured a cup of coffee and then took my chair to witness a spectacular, glorious event.  It was as much fun as I’ve had in ages.

Later, in the doctor's waiting room, the TV was turned to Fox and grumbles started to emerge from other waiting patients, their eyes fixed on the television. One man shook his head and said "I can't afford gas and I'm supposed to enjoy this?" Similar things were heard all week long leading up the event.

I understand it's hard to stomach a wedding gown that cost $40,000.00 or millions in taxpayer money for security.  I don't blame anyone for not watching or even getting annoyed by the whole thing.

But there is something large that appeals to me here. It is the tradition, the grandeur, the finery. This is what is missing in so much of how we live life now and that isn't just because we can't afford what the royals can.  The world over is being supersized, happy-mealed, instant messaged and tattooed to death. The finer things are going by the wayside quicker than we can send a text message. Everything is on the go, on the cheap and about our own little worlds. It isn't about taking the time to do things with grace and elegance any more. Those days are pretty much gone.

Don't get me wrong: I love the fact that I can wear jeans to my office job but I was happy to see that women attending the royal wedding did not bear their arms or wear their skimpiest dress as they so often do at weddings these days.  We live in a time when sweatpants are acceptable at church. I'm sure God doesn't mind but isn't some refinement nice just once in a while?

I was happy to see that the formal china was used and the invitations were printed on fine stationary rather than emailed. I know, it's more environmental to email everything but isn't it nice  that an occasion is so special that guests aren’t invited through Facebook?

But that isn't the whole story because that wedding was also about  tradition and history.  The wedding had many elements that were firmly steeped in those that came before them.  Like it or not, the British are an integral part of our own history too and as Americans we are forever entwined with them, like it or not.  And there was so much to look at.  Wasn't it impressive to note that Westminster Abbey has been in existence for over 1000 years and holds the tombs of monarchs and some of the world's greatest contributors to culture? Dickens, Chaucer, Handel, just to name a few. Wow.

But with tradition has come good change as well.  Following the lead of Princess Diana, the young Royals have taken on charitable causes that actually mean better lives for less fortunate people. Diana was far ahead of her time in bringing awareness of AIDS and land mines just to name a few causes of importance. She's passed those relevant concerns and sensibilities onto her sons.  Recently, William slept on the streets of London with the homeless warming his hands over a barrel fire. Both William and Harry are serving their country in the military.

And at this event, “commoners” abounded and I'm not talking about millionaires such as the Middletons. The couple invited the owners of the convenience store in Kate's hometown and her yoga instructor. They are becoming inclusive rather than the other way around and that’s a good juxtaposition with the tradition.

The Royal Wedding was larger than William and Kate. It's the celebration of history and tradition.  And it was fun.