Joy

"Joy is a net of love by which you can catch souls." 
--Mother Teresa

This isn't the greatest photo of me, but I love it all the same.  You know why?  Because I think it's a photo that captured our mutual joy and affection for one another and life itself.

Kenneth and I have been friends for 14 years.  We haven't been together for 14 years, but we've been friends that long. I tell people we're kind of like "When Harry Met Sally" because it only took him 12 or 13 years to get around to asking me on a proper date (lol).

Now we're not perfect and we've had our fair share of growing pains, but all in all we have a really healthy relationship.  Of course having a healthy relationship takes effort, but when you love someone the work seems effortless most of the time.

The above photo was taken in Charleston, SC.  Charleston is my city.  It's my favorite place.  It's my happy place.  It's a place that brings me great joy.  And now it's also the place where I will marry the love of my life.  We're planning an intimate wedding with just a few close friends and family members, and we've decided there's no reason to wait any longer to take our relationship to the next level.

We were planning on getting married in June, but I'm having a few health issues and we've moved the date up to March.  Since we both agree that the wedding is actually for us and not anyone else, and since we both agree that we just want a small, stress-free ceremony, we figured there's really no good reason not to go ahead and get married.  Sure, it cost us a little bit of money on lost deposits to reserve the June date and to reschedule the March date. But all in all the whole thing fell rather miraculously in place for us. You know what that is?  Joy.  It's joy.  Pure, unadulterated joy.  So we're going to have a small ceremony in Charleston and later this year we will have a bigger brouhaha with our family and friends and our beautiful daughters here at our own house, and we'll do a sand ceremony with the girls.  All of these things bring me joy.

It's strange, you know.  I've always been filled some sort of nervous energy.  I was always just slightly uncomfortable, just a bit frantic.  I was never still. I was never fully content.  But now I find myself oddly at peace.  My mind has quieted, and I relish the silence.  I see my blessings and I recognize the people, places, and events that bring me joy for the gifts they truly are.  I am grateful for my bliss.