A Lovely Wedding

Ron, Marita & Brian, and I

Our "Kids" - Kristin, Kevin, Marita, Brian, Matt, & Allison

Brian & his paternal grandmother, Kitty Murray

Such an abundance of heartfelt joy

Brian and Marita Marry

Sunday, May 11th, my oldest son, Brian, married his beautiful Marita. The ceremony was not traditional - it was deeply personal, heartfelt, moving, and spoken from the depths of two beautiful souls. It was a lovely, lovely wedding.

In the midst of one of the most difficult times in my life comes this joyous celebration. And again and again I am reminded that our hearts are big enough to hold it all - the joy and the sorrow. And isn't it through the doorway of our tears that we are able to truly know bliss, blessing, beauty, and joy?

My wish for my beautiful son and his beautiful bride is that they continue on this path they are already so deeply rooted in - one which embraces life in all its wonder and messiness, clarity and confusion, abundance and loss, joys and sorrows.

This was a most lovely wedding. Life is beautiful, extraordinary, such a gift. May we all be so blessed as to open to what we are offered each day. It is so much.

With heartfelt love & gratitude ~ Molly 

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On Joy and Sorrow

Your joy is your sorrow unmasked.
And the selfsame well from which your laughter rises was oftentimes filled with your tears.
And how else can it be?
The deeper that sorrow carves into your being, the more joy you can contain.
Is not the cup that holds your wine the very cup that was burned in the potter's oven?
And is not the lute that soothes your spirit, the very wood that was hollowed with knives?
When you are joyous, look deep into your heart and you shall find it is only that which has given you sorrow that is giving you joy.
When you are sorrowful look again in your heart, and you shall see that in truth you are weeping for that which has been your delight. 

Some of you say, "Joy is greater thar sorrow," and others say, "Nay, sorrow is the greater."
But I say unto you, they are inseparable.
Together they come, and when one sits, alone with you at your board, remember that the other is asleep upon your bed. 

Verily you are suspended like scales between your sorrow and your joy.
Only when you are empty are you at standstill and balanced.
When the treasure-keeper lifts you to weigh his gold and his silver, needs must your joy or your sorrow rise or fall.

-  Kahlil Gibran, from The Prophet

Luminous Love, Joy, Bliss