Words to two amazing people.
This weekend I attended the 8th Handfasting of two very dear friends of mine. Fiona and Rhosyn. It was held in the Kyoto Garden in Kensington and the ceremony was witnessed by a few of us. The words of the ceremony say most of what needs to be said, but there are some words I would like to offer directly to these people who mean so much to me.
The symbolism of the handfasting is clear. The physical tying of hands to represent the invisible bond of love that holds you together, physically, emotionally and spiritually. The cords are wrapped around you as a tangible witness to the bond you share. There is however something else that is happening.
You see this is your 8th Handfasting, and every year you add a cord to the ceremony. As someone who has had the honour of seeing your relationship from the start I'd like to tell you what I see. When you first got together, bonds were being formed. Bonds as fragile as cotton. A trip to the zoo, a conversation about Rhosyn's art, a kiss stolen in a moment of passion. Each one of this things wrapped a single thread of cotton around your hearts. These cotton thin bonds, like your new relationship were fragile, barely noticeable, and like cotton could snap. Yet as time went on, more bonds were formed, more cords tying you together. Experiences, memories, acts of love and care, these all wrap another thread around your hearts. Yet it doesn't stop there.
Life isn't a fairy tale. Things aren't always happy. Other things have happened, times when you have hurt each other, or made a mistake, or spoken a word that pulled on those cotton thin strands. Yet they held strong. People have done things to you, said hateful and painful things, lied and cut at you both individually and as a couple. Such things that would set to cut all those invisible bonds between you. Yet they haven't relented.
The true beauty though is that these things do not break your bond of love, it is in the going through them that beautiful cords are created, plats and braids weave those threads which were once cotton, thin and vulnerable and make them into a binding of both beauty and with a strength greater than the sum of its parts. A connection so strong and beautiful that nothing can break. It is this I see in you two.
I would like to thank you for allowing me to bear witness to something so beautiful and amazing. I genuinely look forward to seeing you two continue to grow and flourish together. I care so much for the both of you and want to offer my blessings such as they are, to every corner of your lives. Once again, thank you!
Always and forever...
The symbolism of the handfasting is clear. The physical tying of hands to represent the invisible bond of love that holds you together, physically, emotionally and spiritually. The cords are wrapped around you as a tangible witness to the bond you share. There is however something else that is happening.
You see this is your 8th Handfasting, and every year you add a cord to the ceremony. As someone who has had the honour of seeing your relationship from the start I'd like to tell you what I see. When you first got together, bonds were being formed. Bonds as fragile as cotton. A trip to the zoo, a conversation about Rhosyn's art, a kiss stolen in a moment of passion. Each one of this things wrapped a single thread of cotton around your hearts. These cotton thin bonds, like your new relationship were fragile, barely noticeable, and like cotton could snap. Yet as time went on, more bonds were formed, more cords tying you together. Experiences, memories, acts of love and care, these all wrap another thread around your hearts. Yet it doesn't stop there.
Life isn't a fairy tale. Things aren't always happy. Other things have happened, times when you have hurt each other, or made a mistake, or spoken a word that pulled on those cotton thin strands. Yet they held strong. People have done things to you, said hateful and painful things, lied and cut at you both individually and as a couple. Such things that would set to cut all those invisible bonds between you. Yet they haven't relented.
The true beauty though is that these things do not break your bond of love, it is in the going through them that beautiful cords are created, plats and braids weave those threads which were once cotton, thin and vulnerable and make them into a binding of both beauty and with a strength greater than the sum of its parts. A connection so strong and beautiful that nothing can break. It is this I see in you two.
I would like to thank you for allowing me to bear witness to something so beautiful and amazing. I genuinely look forward to seeing you two continue to grow and flourish together. I care so much for the both of you and want to offer my blessings such as they are, to every corner of your lives. Once again, thank you!
Always and forever...