“All that I have, all that I am, all that I ever will be is yours.” What does a marriage mean to you? What do you think is the essence of marriage? I think that a marriage is a promise of a new beginning. It’s a promise of new adventures and new experiences wrapped in a blanket of grace and forgiveness. Marriage is a promise made with every bit of positivity and trust that everything will go well. Having been married for over a decade and having to witness marriage come to be (almost) every weekend, there are two sides to which I view weddings, particularly the wedding vows. Sometimes I find myself cringing as I hear the vows being spoken, as if I doubted that they could actually carry out the promises they made and as if to question if they even knew what they were talking about. I believe that on the days I find myself cringing, the skies must be a little grey, because on most weddings, I would feel refreshed by the positivity that these young couples show. Often times, I am reminded that a vow isn’t just a series of pretty words strung together in a sentence; it is a promise made for eternity. It is a promise that no matter what may come or whatever they will face, they will get through it because they have each other. I say that this reminder is refreshing because, to tell you the truth, walking this journey can cause one to grow weary sometimes. It’s not always fun and games. It’s not always beautiful. It’s not always sweet and romantic. In fact, it can be the exact opposite of that. But a promise is a promise. And as I hear the words that these young couples speak to each other, I am reminded that I too was once in their place, standing before the altar, professing my own hopes and commitment to the woman I love. And that, for me, is the true meaning of marriage. It is a solemn promise to cherish each other, through good times and bad, till death do us part. I personally thought that the exchange of promises between Jimson and Devina just moments before they were joined together in matrimony, were the most beautiful I have ever heard. (I hope that you can tell from how I made it the center of the whole video.) And I pray that they will strive every day to keep it and to make their promises live as a part of their every day. Because more than just a string of beautiful words, their vows are the essence of their marriage. Congratulations to this beautiful couple. Enjoy your new journey with each other! Love, Garry