Back from the wedding weekend of my cousin Dawn, now Mrs. John West. It was a crazy-busy trip, and I will be glad to slow down and sleep in my own bed after such a weekend!
Left home at 6am Friday to get to the airport. Flight at 9-something. Arrived in Jacksonville close to 12. Waited for my Aunt to arrive from CO, then got the car and drove 2 hours to where my grandparents live. Visited with them, then slept at the lodge. Left there Saturday around 10am (grandmother in tow) to drive to Orlando, getting to the hotel around 3:30 (frequent stops and lunch delayed arrival time.) Got to the church after 5... luckily the ceremony was a little late in starting! Then there was waiting for the pics to be done, cocktail hour, and reception. It was a nice wedding, quite fancy for Florida. Sunday am: breakfast brunch with the family at the hotel (nice hotel, very posh) and then the 4+ hour drive back to Dowling Park... dinner with both grandparents and sleep again at the lodge. Left for Jacksonville this am around 8, flight left at 12ish, then waited for the car to pick us up at the airport... the original driver assigned to us broke down, so we had to wait for another. (and I'm planning on going to rehearsal tonight?? Am I crazy?!)
Total time in the air/plane: less than 4 hours.
Total time on the roads in Florida: at least 12 hours. (yawn.)
One thing I learned this weekend... I guess it's something I already knew, but saw it in action. We, the young, certainly shouldn't think we have a lock on the concept of love. Sure, we feel its hormonal/emotional/giddy side perhaps more than the "veterans", but what they have is perhaps more beautiful - longevity and experience - a love which transcends the emotions of "falling in love" - love in which you choose to love, even when the chips are down. I saw both in action this weekend.
My cousin and her husband were the picture of happy, truly glowing, looking ahead to an incredibly bright future. But then, to see my grandparents and their love in action was almost more amazing - two people who have been together for over 60 years, have seen incredible hardship and tough times (both socially and in their relationship, I am sure), and yet there still exists such a sweet love - my grandmother's concern at leaving my grandfather to come with us to the wedding - my grandfather sweetly taking a nap in my grandmother's bed while she was away.... I can only hope and pray for that kind of love, dedication, selflessness and collective faith in my lifetime.
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