May 5th is the Mexican festival "Cinco de Mayo," a celebration of a military victory from the mid 19th century. And this Cinco de Mayo is the anniversary of our wedding: Linda Rose Sanders and I will be married 30 years. We were married in the presence of our family and friends in a mass and ceremony presided over by Fr. Harry Meyer at St. George's Church in the Corryville neighbohood of Cincinnati, right near the University of Cincinnati. This was a different kind of wedding, so different that a co-worker of Linda asked afterwards if we were really married! Fr. Harry said a regular wedding mass, but I made a loaf of whole-wheat bread that was used for communion. Linda and I made up our own wedding vows, and we pushed the boundaries of ecumenism forward a couple hundred years when Quakers, non-believers, fallen Catholics, Protestants, and Jews received communion. The door on this kind of progressive church, the Church of the Holy Spirit, semed to close not long after our wedding.
As the saying goes, there's been a "lot of water under the bridge" in the past 30 years. St. George Church is no longer an active Catholic church (not our fault!) and this past year suffered from a devastating fire to its two steeples (again, no blame on us!). Many family members and friends who attended our wedding have passed away--my Mom and Dad, Linda's Grandma Hoffman, her Mom and Dad. Most of our aunts and uncles that attended are gone: Aunt Dudie (Julia Brock), Aunt Mary, Uncle Skip. Uncles Tom and Howard Sanders and our friend Kenny Przybylski are gone (as are Ernest and Marion Bromley and Maurice McCrackin). These family members and friends are written deep in our hearts, carved into the palms of our hands. We are grateful for Uncle Bill and Aunt Kay Coughlin, and Aunt Grace Sanders, who are still with us, still vital! And our best man, Chris Cotter, and maids of honor, Mary Ann Hageman and Jan Shepherd, are all doing well. Our brothers and sisters are also doing well: Denny and Sher, Mary Ellen and Ed, Kevin, Jim and Jodi, Steve and Sue, Bruce and Christina, Marianne and Todd, Paul and Linda--and a whole slew of children and even grandchildren!
The entire wedding cost a few hundred dollars. Linda's wedding dress cost $30 for materials--which she sewed into a beautiful gown. My wedding shirt, one of those peasant cotton shirts (made in Mexico, I think--perfect for Cinco de Mayo!) cost about 10 dollars. We rented a shelter in Mt Airie Forest for the reception--that was a little over a hundred dollars. The food at the reception was potluck, brought by the guests. Our photographer was Linda's brother, Bruce. Our "limo" was an old Chevy, driven by Linda's brother Steve. My friend Clare Weinkam and I made the wedding cake, garnished by purple lilac blossoms. Our parents provided a keg of beer. A square-dance caller spun records and called dances at the reception. Alas, no chicken dance or electric slide! But everyone still had a great time!
Happy Cinco de Mayo! Happy Anniversary to us! God Bless our family and friends who've supported our marriage and family all these years. Bless our children, Julia, Carolan, and Emily. I hope our life together has, at least to some extent and for some people, reflected the Grace of God and the Power, Light, and Love of the Spirit.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment