My Speech for Karen and Justin's Wedding

(Left: Me at the podium giving my speech)

This past week-end I was home for Karen and Justin's wedding. I was the maid of honour and spoke at the reception. Below is my speech as given that night. Comments welcome.

I met Karen in the Sacred Heart School cafeteria. I don’t remember much about that specific meeting but that moment was significant, as it led to fifteen years as friends. Together we’ve weathered high school, graduations, bad perms (which you’ll all see later in the slideshow I’ve put together) grueling part-time jobs, the death of Grandparents, re-training, career changes and now geographic distance. And now here I am sharing another milestone along this exciting and challenging road of our friendship.

I thought a lot about what I might say today, having the benefit of fifteen years of Karen stories to my credit. However, upon examining each story I discovered that by telling any one of them I’d only be implicating myself as well. She still has the opportunity to get me back !!!!

I remember when I knew Karen and Justin would one day be married. Karen had just been on her first ‘official’ date with him and was recounting to me the events of the evening. She mentioned how they had discussed football which happened to be a sport the two of us had attempted to understand for years without success. So when she said “Cindy this is the first guy who has been able to explain football to me so that I actually get it!” It was clear from then on they spoke the same language.

Marriage isn’t an easy road. Erma Bombeck once said “Marriage has no guarantees. If that's what you're looking for, go live with a car battery." With that in mind, I searched for some good reasons why people choose marriage. I found a poem by Mari Nichols-Haining called Why Marriage. I think it answers this question and gives some great advice that I would like to share with both of you now.

Because to the depths, you long to love one person with all your heart, soul, mind and body.

Because you need a forever friend to trust with the intimacies of you
Who won't hold them against you, who loves you when you're unlikable
Who sees the small child in you and who looks for the divine potential of you.

Because you need to cuddle in the warmth of the night with someone who thanks God for you, with someone you feel blessed to hold...

Because marriage means opportunity to grow in love and in friendship...

Because marriage is a discipline to be added to a list of achievements...

Because marriages do not fail, people fail when they enter into marriage expecting another to make them whole...

Because knowing this, you promise to take full responsibility for your spiritual, mental and physical wholeness

You create you, You take half of the responsibility for your marriage. Together you create your marriage...

Because with this understanding the possibilities are limitless.

I’ve watched Karen grow from a confident career woman into a generous partner and a gentle and loving stepmother. I’ve been witness to the joy, love and humour Justin brings to her life. I am thankful that God has blessed my friend with someone who loves her just as she is. I know that you will both look after each other.

As you begin your journey down the road of life together, may you respect each other's likes and dislikes, opinions and beliefs, hopes and dreams, and fears even though you may not always understand each other.

May you rest in the knowledge that no matter what happens, by holding on to each other things will work out for the best.

May God help you to you keep the torch of love burning with the fire you now share in your hearts.

(Raise Glass) And because I have a bit of Irish in me, I’d like to leave you with an old Irish Marriage blessing:

May God be with you and bless you;
May you see your children's children.
May you be poor in misfortune,
And rich in blessings,
May you know nothing but happiness
From this day forward.