Saying yes to FOREVER!

“Destiny is the bridge you build to the one you love.”

Recently, I said yes to the man I love, the man who has travelled many roads by my side.  In our life together thus far, we have grown into ourselves, into each other.  As we begin to plan a wedding celebration of our love, I know this marriage will be different than the fairy tale every little girl imagines for herself.

As I walk toward John to become his wife, I won’t be guided by a father.  But, I won’t be walking alone.  My twin sister will take my hand in hers and take those steps with me.  This won’t be our first walk together, as we have shared many journeys hand in hand.  Michelle is the one other person before John with whom I entrusted with my deepest pain and my greatest joy.  Five months from now, Michelle will officially share that with John as he pledges to continue to love me with abandon and without conditions as we learn and lead each other throughout our life together.

There won’t be a mother of the bride, but there will be six beautiful women standing next to me.  Each of those women have at many different times held my hand when I was lost, wiped a tear when I was sad, laughed when I was joyful and supported me along my journey.  These women are not described just as friends, they have become my family.  So, despite the things that won’t be there on my wedding day, the things that I hold dear will be; my friends, my family and the man that I love with my whole heart.
The greatest excitement that I hold for that day is the moment in which John and I will express our deepest love for each other in the presence of our beautiful family.  I don’t know what it will feel like to see him walking toward me as I take steps toward him on that crisp afternoon but I imagine there will be tears.  It’s hard to believe that it has been twelve years since we first walked toward one another.  I look forward to many steps toward each other and along-side each other after we promise FOREVER.

Is life about the promise of tomorrow or the intention of today?

"When you relinquish the desire to control your future, you obtain happiness."

Not that long ago I held on fast to the belief, that if I worked hard enough and focused all of my energy on what I wanted in my future, it would eventually come true for me.  But along the way, things had taken place that were not part of the plan I had created for myself.  It seemed that the faster I chased my dream, the further it got away from me.

Then came a time when I stopped for a moment and looked around.  I was lost.  I suddenly realised that in all the time I had spent chasing something, I had begun to lose the centre of it all – my sense of self.  In that moment of appraisal I began to consider the route toward my destiny.  I began to wonder if the preparing, worrying and setting things up for tomorrow was actually preventing the creation of my future.

Today as I stand back and reflect, I am amazed.  Many years ago I had altered the route I was travelling.  As it turns out, the road I have travelled since then has been filled with lessons, losses, beauty, fear, friendship and love.  All greater experiences than I had imagined for myself.

Consider yourself for a moment.  Rather than constantly evaluating, allow yourself the abandon to let go of the desire to have your tomorrow as you planned and live in your intention for today.