I have a tradition. Since my wedding in 2000, I take time to write a unique wedding blessing for each couple whose ceremony we attend. I usually write it in a card, and a few times I have even read the blessing at rehearsal dinners. Last weekend one of my best friends and college roommate John married his beautiful and dear fiance, Laura. As the best man, I had the good fortune of being the first to toast their marriage.

Here is the text of the blessing:

John and Laura,

May you be blessed before God and this company,
May you be blessed with the riches of your hands and wealth of your hearts,
May the discovery of one another be an exquisite lifelong pursuit,
May your plates be full, your cups overflowing, and fruits bountiful,

May the Doors of your home be the gateway to hospitality and tranquility,
May you spread joy like a familiar fragrance to those who meet you,
May your souls always entwine to keep a fresh sweet elixir,
May you see your children’s children,

May you be poor in doubt;
rich in faith;
weak in pride;
strong in grace

And when your feet have tired,
your hair blown heavy,
your face sun kissed,
And the work is done,
the bills are paid,
and the kids are on their own,
May you look one to another and know that the best is yet to come,

Now we raise our glass and toast to these blessings, this marriage,
and vow to speak blessings and not curses over you for the duration.

Before the wedding, John told me a story. Crowning the hill near his parents’ home, a nice house was built where a rather successful couple lived. After spending a lifetime collecting “stuff,” the man recently died and the woman moved into a nursing home. After their children picked through their stuff, they had a flat top dumpster delivered to their house to haul away all of that stuff. Their lifetime collection, scattered in the landfill. How apropos; of all of the “stuff” we collect in life, our words and stories endure.