Marriage

Dear N,

I know your marriage is coming up and I wanted to share with you something from my own marriage. Whilst I was young and most definately naive, my marriage meant something to me. It still does. The passage I would like to pass on meant a lot to me at the time. It made me think, and at my tender age I didn't quite understand what it meant. And so, I share it with you my dear friend - I hope there might be something in it for you:

Kahlil Gibran on Marriage
From Kahlil Gibran's The Prophet

Then Almitra spoke again and said, And what of Marriage, Master?
And he answered saying:
You were born together, and together you shall be forevermore.
You shall be together when the white wings of death scatter your days.
Ay, you shall be together even in the silent memory of God.
But let there be spaces in your togetherness,
And let the winds of the heavens dance between you.
Love one another, but make not a bond of love:
Let it rather be a moving sea between the shores of your souls.
Fill each other's cup but drink not from one cup.
Give one another of your bread but eat not from the same loaf.
Sing and dance together and be joyous, but let each one of you be alone,
Even as the strings of a lute are alone though they quiver with the same music.
Give your hearts, but not into each other's keeping.
For only the hand of Life can contain your hearts.
And stand together yet not too near together:
For the pillars of the temple stand apart,
And the oak tree and the cypress grow not in each other's shadow.

I wish you so much luck, love and happiness as you and S enter into this union of the minds. I know you will both be fantastic, I also know there will be a special place in your heart for A on that day and the respect S has for that is what tells me your marriage will work.

Love
BGL
xxx