Our Vows Renewal...

I’m writing this on the heels of our “vows renewal” ceremony, though I probably won’t post this until Saturday morning after we process & can include the photos.

Before leaving our stateroom for the observance, I checked the navigational channel on our TV and took note: At 6:55pm on Thursday December 4, 2014, we were sailing 861 miles east of Hawaii, 1,484 miles from San Diego, temperature was 70, wind at 3 mph, sea depth 15,470 feet. The ceremony itself was held in the Captain’s Quarters adjacent to the Crow’s Nest. In attendance and by invitation were six of our dear friends – Barbara & Orlin, Trudy, Marilyn & Harry, & Joe. We met Harry & Marilyn on the 2012 world cruise, Barbara & Orlin on the 2013, Trudy on this voyage, and Joe is the 92-yr-old gentleman we adopted back in September. Holland America provided flowers, a piano player, a beautiful cake, appetizers & champagne. The setting itself was very intimate with the Captain joining us about 7:05. We sat and talked as a group for about 20 minutes – much of the conversation revolved around an incident earlier in the day…in fact, at 3:30 am when the ship’s emergency sirens sounded. There was a fire detected in the Piano Bar on deck #5…one deck below our stateroom. This was a first for us in all our years of sailing. We’ve been through dozens & dozens of drills…but this was the real thing, and in the middle of the night out in the Pacific, with land nowhere in sight. Most folks were dressed within minutes with medications, passports, & other valuables packed & ready to abandon ship if necessary. I’d be less than truthful if I said I wasn’t concerned, but Holland America did an admirable job not simply responding to the emergency, but updating passengers over the PA system every 10 minutes. This went on for over an hour and finally at 4:40am, we were informed that the source of the fire had been identified & resolved. Apparently, one of the air conditioning units on deck #5 was the problem but again, resolved without incident. It could’ve been quite serious. 

Our vows exchange was truly beautiful. Cheryl had everything at the tip of her tongue and completely memorized. Her sweet, most heartfelt thoughts flowed as if she were reading them. I on the other hand, had to read mine and much the same as our original wedding, I cried like a baby. Cheryl had to pull tissue from my pocket and wipe away my tears several times but, I was OK with that – completely. 

Along with the Captain, we cut the cake, had more champaign, opened some very thoughtful, beautiful gifts, and called it a night. 

The following is what I recited to Cheryl:

I remember the first leg of our honeymoon in the Pocono Mountains 27 years ago. You sat near the window marveling at the reflected moon rolling in the freshly fallen snow. Your feet were pulled up on your chair. Your arms were wrapped around your knees. You looked so contented. I was bringing you a glass of champagne and I stopped to watch you through the kitchen door. Your beauty shamed the moon. I was in awe of your presence, but also humbled by your strength. We were alone in the mountains, and it seemed like we were thousands of miles from everything we had ever known in our former, single lives and yet you sat there at peace, confident in our love already, certain that the world was not too big for us. I could feel your strength.

That was my first lesson in love from you and every day for 27 years since then, you have taught me more, made me stronger, wiser, happier and closer to being whole. I say “closer” because as we have both learned, the right love is limitless and our love is the right love. And through that right love, we have created life – a beautiful, happy, healthy loving family who grow more ready for the world every day, because they know their parents love them above everything; they know their parents love each other; and they know their parents will be there for them, together, forever.

And quite honestly, they have you to thank for that because it is you who has held our home together; it is you who set the rules that are & were so important to their development; it is you who took the time to explain to them why they were wrong, not just that they were wrong; it is you who made sure they were congratulated for every victory and comforted in every defeat; it is you who ensured they had all they need, every day, to be prepared for the challenges that would shape their lives forever. By example and through the grace of endless patience and unwavering devotion, it is you who has given them an understanding of unconditional love, the kind that they deserve and will expect from others throughout their lives. And it is you who has done the same for me. If there is any good about me, it is because of you. Please know that as I renew my vows to you, I will never relent in my pursuit of filling your heart with joy.

Finally, thank you for loving me unconditionally, gracefully, passionately, devotedly. You and I have built “us” with that love, a kind of love that death will not part, for it is bigger than life and so it must certainly be bigger than death. Our love, I’m sure, is immortal.

So, Cheryl, I’ll leave you with these most heartfelt thoughts this beautiful evening as we renew our vows:

Certainly, the most joyful thing in our mortal lives is having the love of the person you love and being in love with the person who is in love with you. And the most amazing thing in life is true love’s ability to enthrall us with its progressive, unlimited growth and boundless beauty. This kind of love between two people is why we exist— to love and to be loved at a level that transcends our fears, our weaknesses, our sicknesses, our troubles and, indeed, our mortality.

Thanks to you & only you, I know what that kind of love is…and I once again pledge it all to you, everyday, & in every way.