Love is ...

Oh my gawd, it's finally done!!

How do you write honestly and unabashedly about something you haven't experienced in years, in the context of something you've never done?? And furthermore, how do you make it light and happy and idealistic while keepin it real? I'm not a foofy/girly/head-in-the-clouds writer or person, nor do I suffer that well - in writing or personality.

My cousin approached me with the lofty request to write and read a piece for her wedding .... during the ceremony .... in a bright red dress!! Keep in mind that this is BEFORE the reception when the libations start flowing. My audience will be sober and paying attention, at least until I start talking anyway. My initial thought was, "I love you and all, but no f-ing way am I going to do that!!" What actually came out of my mouth, much to my dismay and confusion (does my mouth remember how red my face gets while publicly speaking?) was, "Yeah, I'll get right on that." I think this was after we had taken many shots of the homemade Limoncello, so my acceptance cannot be held up in a court of law.

Anyway, my long-winded point is ..... the poem is done, or as done as it's gonna get, and while I'm relieved to have not left it for the night before (surprisingly), I still have to say it out loud to a big ole' group of people. Shit! What did I get myself into for love ....


If you ask 1000 different people
what love is
you'll get 1000 different answers
But it is in these differences
that love becomes vibrant and
fresh and individually tailored

For you both
I see a passion
unrivaled by past loves
Your affection a sign of
undying adoration
Oceans
fault lines
and family ties
not enough to keep you separate
And in separation
a strengthening and growth
of your bonds

I see reality
mixed with magic in your gazes
And optimism
in your thoughts and hopeful sighs

You remember that
love is not a happily-ever-after
It is a promise to
celebrate the good
and push on through the bad
It is a belief in yourself
that you are worthy of this life
and a strong faith in another to hold your heart

Love is a gift
and the choice you make
to return it
It is a climbing to the top
of a steep and perilous mountain
to be rewarded with
the beauty of the view

Love is knowing that
your mistakes will not break you
and your faults
not lessen your glow

The true test of love
is Time
It's in the settling
of charged particles
and clearing of dust
It's how you feel
after a fight
or change in your perceptions
It is in the every day
that true love unfolds

I wish you many real days
tempered with fairy tale moments
I wish you the wisdom
to appreciate the latter
for their brief appearances
and accept the former
in all its mundane glory

I wish you a marriage filled
with laughter and growth
and a story to tell your grandkids
on hot summer nights

I wish you family and light
But most of all

I wish you love

~ March 30, 2006