On Marriage

Throughout my involvement with April's wedding, I've had plenty of opportunities to think about my marriage. My marriage means everything to me. I have so much invested in it. And that investment grows every day. SkooterPie and I will celebrate our wedding anniversary on May 21. We were married 12 years ago on that day. And, yes, I would do it all over again. During our wedding, our officiant read this passage from Kahlil Gibran's "The Prophet":

On Marriage

Then Almitra spoke again and said, "And what of Marriage, master?"
And he answered saying:
You were born together, and together you shall be forevermore.
You shall be together when white wings of death scatter your days.
Aye, you shall be together even in the silent memory of God.
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 other's cup but drink not from one cup.
Give one another of your bread but eat not from the same loaf.
Sing and dance together and be joyous, but let each one of you be alone,
Even as the strings of a lute are alone though they quiver with the same music.
Give your hearts, but not into each other's keeping.
For only the hand of Life can contain your hearts.
And stand 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.

A lot of wedding ceremonies talk of the husband and wife becoming one being. But I prefer the idea of the strength of two pillars standing apart.