Greetings!

Yesterday, I decided to act on the inspiration and began work on a wedding site for Kristen and Sean, filling it with my mana, my essence, and my hopes, dreams and best wishes for them.  

I began "the project" by writing this:

The creation of this site was inspired by your
 Aunty Cecelia,  
who, after she had spoken her words of love to you
via the videographer, said this to me:

"You two should be advising them on
how to be happy in a marriage." 

She pointed to the video camera.
Too shy to say a word to the camera,
I replied, mortified and shaking my head, "Uh, uh."
But no one will accuse me of being not too shy 
with the written word.

You've had the fairy tale wedding.
Maybe you'd like a fairy tale marriage?

The Art of Marriage  
was a gift without a bow
to DH and me.

Framed and hanging in our home, 
the wisdom in its words helped to create
 the happiness that exists in our marriage.

I too come from a broken home.
And we're not so unusual: 
60% of American marriages fail.
We are the fallout,
the kids of divorce.

At the time of my engagement, 
my scars were invisible, but deep, 
from years of living with dueling parents...
 with their "silent treatments,"
tears, tension, and 
intensely fierce competition. 

A month before our wedding,
DH's and mine, I got the wedding jitters.
What was I thinking?
How did I think I could succeed at marriage?
My parents, who did so many things right in life,  
failed so miserably when it came to marriage.

The odds seemed overwhelmingly against me...us.
Thank goodness for a persuasive father.
He pinned his hopes and aspirations 
on his little girl and wished upon her 
the marital bliss that eluded him.

DH and I married on July 27, 1974.

At the time,
I knew of only one couple 
who I believed was truly happily married.
They witnessed our wedding,
bolstering our chances for marital bliss 
with their support, thoughts and blessings.

Though a full generation ahead of us,
they became our best friends:
Aunty Chick and Uncle Ted.
(DH's aunt and uncle)

Serving as uncommon role models,
by their living examples,
they showed us what was attainable.

They were Masters in the art of marriage

We consciously practiced the wisdom of
The Art of Marriage.
Baby steps at first.
A bit of stumbling now and again.
The occasional pratfall.

With practice, perseverance and commitment,
  lo and behold!
Ours too became the fairy-tale marriage.
Magic happens! 

May you, Kristen and Sean, embrace the wisdom 
of these magical pearls of wisdom.
They are words of power, love and fulfillment: 

>> The Art of Marriage