Marital Bliss

We’re going to a wedding this Sunday for our best friend Craig and his lovely bride-to-be Lisa.

Sometimes the piece that is meant to fit in the puzzle of a life takes some time to find. And that is exactly how it played out for Craig & Lisa.

I met Craig in a bookstore back in 1992. I had just become an assistant manager, transferred to a new store, and there was this big tall guy in glasses, a maroon sweater vest and tie, shelving books. He belonged in a bookstore. Within a few hours it was as we’d been friends for life. We chatted about everything, from his obsession with Star Trek to my obsession with The Grateful Dead. We spent many hours happily stereotyping the customers, agonizing over the crappy books that were selling like mad, specifically the top of the list that Christmas, Madonna’s SEX, and seeing who could outsell each other. We grumbled together about annoying customers and poked not-quite-gentle fun, behind closed doors, at our district manager.

Craig became a brother of my heart, an uncle to my kids and remains to this day one of the nicest men I know, outside of my husband. He really needs to let up on that shit because nice does not always finish first. I keep telling him that he needs to find the nasty streak of his and let it fly. Problem is I’m not sure he has a nasty streak. I do know he has a sarcastic one though.
I introduced him to my soon-to-be husband and he introduced us to his soon-to-be wife. We got together a bunch as couples, ate too much food, drank too much wine and enjoyed a load of laughs and fun. We argue about politics, religion and movies. And my guy and I worried some about the path he was treading with the woman who just didn't seem to care as much about him as he did here.

Thankfully, just days before the final words would have ben spoken, and it was a close call, he freed himself from the devil spawn he was engaged to and escaped to live another day. it aws one of the most heart wrenching things he had ever done.

Craig? Is one of those gentle, loving, kind men that wants to share his life with one woman, the right woman, and build a life together upon a foundation of love, laughter and friendship. The devil spawn he was engaged to when we met wanted to dictate his life and have their relationship completely under her own evil dominion. A late escape is better than none but this break up came at great expense to his heart and confidence and it took a long time to recover.

He dipped his toe in the dating pool some, got a few healthy nibbles and a few nutters, as one is wont to encounter in the big world of dating, and after shaking loose one particular nutter, he began wondering if he was destined to remain single. The romantic in me kept telling him no way, that wouldn’t happen, because if people like Sarah Palin can find a soul mate, than clearly there is hope for the good hearted in the world to find theirs. He just had to wait and believe.

He dipped his toe back into the dating pool, with a little trepidation through one of the online match up streams, and taking a chance went out on a date with a woman named Lisa. They hit it off, dated some more, got to know each other and then moved in together.

After realizing the living together gig wasn’t so bad because Hey! someone else to help clean the toilet and do the dishes, he bought a pretty sparkly ring and she said yes.

These two were meant for each other. All the stuff that came before was nothing more than shaking the dust off the treasure buried underneath and getting it ready to shine. She makes him smile, obviously loves him and wants what’s best for him and them. He reciprocates wholeheartedly. They accept each other, acknowledge the flaws and refuse to let their difference hinder the growth of love and trust they nurture. They laugh together, with and at each other, and find pleasure in each other’s company. They like each other.

They are building their life, this life, together with laughter, love and excitement. It’s lovely to bear witness to such happiness.

So on Sunday, I’ll sit back and watch as my brother pledges himself to this woman, before their families and friends, committing to one another publicly and legally. Where it truly counts, deep in the heart and soul, they've already taken themselves in love and faith. This is just a formality, the public declaration of their love for each other for all the world to see.

They complete each other. It’s heartwarming to see that sometimes nice finishes exactly where it’s meant to be. It also goes to show you can find anything online. Including love.