Wedding notes...

It is nearly mid night. I have been blobbing out in front of test cricket as a wind down after leading my son's wedding. It went well and the feedback I got from people about the ceremony was all very positive. I promised I would tell you what I told them. Here it is... well this is what was in my notes, I did ad lib a little.

Here is how I describe what I wish for you both…

I wish that there will be Few difficult times - I am realistic enough to know that there will be events in your life together that will be challenging, that may bring you sadness or anxiety. It is dreaming to think that you will have a life of total bliss. My wish for you both is that the sad, difficult moments will be few, and that together you will have the strength to work through them, and even grow in the process.

I wish for you both Health... Again, I know that this does not always happen, but I wish that you will have sufficient health to be able to do the things you enjoy and achieve what you want. I know that there are no guarantees, but my prayer for the years ahead is that you both will have a good measure of health.

I wish for you Friendships and warmth of relationships... My wish is that as you live and work in your families, your communities or your workplaces that you have warmth, humour and support in your circle of friends and acquaintances. It is sad and soul destroying when people feel alone in this world. I hope you will continue to enjoy many supportive, life enhancing and caring friendships in the years ahead. That the love you have together will overflow into the relationships you have with family and friends.

I wish for you depth in your life... As a ship in a storm is safest when it has power and direction or when it has a good anchorage, I wish that whatever you experience you will have a sense of inner strength. That you will feel connected to "depth" so that you have an inner power to achieve, grow and cope with all the opportunities and challenges that life brings.

I wish for you Significance... Linked to this is that I wish that you feel a sense of significance. My wish for you is that you enjoy the feeling that you are doing something significant with your life or that you will experience life as meaningful and fulfilling.

Finally my prayer is that you will have ongoing Intimacy...  Now I do not mean that you will be making love all the time. (though that is good too!) That’s often how us guys interpret that word. But …. What I wish for you is that you will continue to have as the years go by a growing relationship in which you can relax, be yourself and be as completely open as you are able, knowing that you will be accepted, supported, forgiven and affirmed as a person, by the other.