Choosing a Wedding Soloist
It was regarded as a way to make a livingthe money was good and there had been often decent food.
As a marriage soloist, I’d sit off to the side, watching brides in white dresses and grooms in leased tuxedos guarantee to love one another forever. But somehow, I could not shake a sadness that often hung over me as I watched, knowing that one in each 2 unions will fail. I won’t rationalize it but over the years, I developed consideration for knowing whether a pair was about to make it or not.
There had been just something about the way the bride and groom related to each otherthe look in their eyes and their body languagethat offered clues as to how their wedding was going to turn out. Then one afternoon, while our band was playing for a big reception in a tiny city dancehall, I casually looked across the massive ocean of folks. My peek moved from table to table, till I saw the bride and groom, sitting alone in a corner.
They were sitting in total ease, holding hands, pronouncing nothing. Her flowing white dress and his tuxedo appeared out of kilter, but their contentment and comfort with one another was completely obvious. There wasn’t any question that those two folks belonged together. They would’ve been sitting there in those self same 2 chairs, still holding hands in precisely the same way, if they’d been wearing blue jeans and overalls at some other person’s reception. They were at a party, to be surea large, loud party. But the party was truly for the advantage of everybody else attending. They were completely comfy just sitting in their corner, out of the spotlight, watching the people they loved having an excellent time. As cold hearted as I’d become over time, something struck me at that moment as I watched that couple. I spotted that marriages essentially represent the victory of the human spirit. Each wedding is a public statement by 2 folks, letting the entire world know that together, they decide to believe that their union will be the one-in-two that lasts. When thought of in that way, each marriage truly designates a victory of hopein the face of all chances. Sure, it will take all their bravery and strength to be successful, but regardless of what, couples continue to try. They know the stats are against thembut they look directly into the eyes of the chances makers and say, “So what?”. And why not? Through history, folk have staked their fortunes, and occasionally their terribly lives, on less than a 50-50 chance.
Perhaps that’s the reason why we hold so many marriages in the month of June.
It’s a month that may be unpredictablefull of heat and promise one minute, and then all of a sudden becoming stormy and full of doubt. As for me, since seeing that couple, holding hands at their reception, I have started singing my marriage solos with a replenished hopeembodied by 2 folk at the altar, vowing to tackle their future together, regardless of incredible odds.



