The Seesaw

Two vital ceremonies most of us share at one moment or another take but a minuscule of life’s precious time, yet both share an importance beyond the scope of many vocabularies.

The lasting joys of a wedding become closely bound with an invisible thread tucked tightly embracing memories of other similar events. Most are predominately happy, yet there are often one or two forever remembered as excruciatingly painful.

None are recalled without viable explanations, and/or latent apologies, but admittedly are carefully disguised and edited recollections.

The few tightly hidden fragmented memories that are still capable of drawing blood are undoubtedly equal in importance. Sometimes they are even more momentous in the always unedited book of our yesterdays.

Possibly even a bit more poignant in the thick volume of memories are moments when final adieus needed to be said.

None of those resurrect without an acute stiletto of remembered sorrow accompanied with never to be forgotten unshed tears.

Still as life moves forward, ultimately it becomes more difficult to deny the unmistakable truth that grief is as much part of life as joy.

And neither would have the poignant impact if not for the experience of the other.

As the Velveteen Rabbit discovered:

“Once you are real, you can’t become unreal again. It lasts for always.”

Reflecting on the mythical hero’s words, both reality and truth emerge reaffirming both comprehension and the wisdom of the oft quoted statement,

And you feel only gratitude for the privilege of having shared both life and death with those we loved and who loved us.