We Do

This week I had the honor of witnessing Yonchu (cutest Korean girl alive) get married to Jeff. The ceremony was short and sweet, a somewhat typical church wedding with the standard vows made by the bride and groom. What struck me was the vow that I was asked to take. The chaplain asked the friends of the bride and groom to make a profound promise of love. We were asked to make a vow to honor, protect, and support our friends' marriage. My heart jumped at this public recognition that marriage does not happen behind close doors, but rather, in the fullness of community. Marriage is hard. It's risky. It's sacred. And married people need not only the love of each other and the support of each other but a circle of family and friends to bolster them up and love on them when things get stormy. This vow, this spoken promise of "we do" has reverberated in my heart all week. When we enter into relationships and friendships that are built on real love and trust, we take a vow to honor and respect. In healthy community, we have the opportunity to bring heaven to earth by loving deeply and thoroughly. It is the "we do" of community that speaks of unconditional love, that says yes, I will be at your reception enjoying the pleasures of dancing and the open bar, but I am also here for the long haul...the good, the bad, and the ugly. It is the "we do" of community that commits and perseveres. It is the "we do" of community that is full of grace and peace, that is generous and patient and kind. I live in the midst of three amazing communities full of humans who bring joy and light to my life. It is such an honor to be able to do life with others, to walk through the seasons of each other's lives hand in hand, to be invited into not only their lives but their hearts. As I gratefully delve further into community, I want to say "I do". I do promise to operate as best I can under the canopy of grace, love, and peace. I do promise to be honest and to approach my relationships with integrity. I do promise to treat all with dignity and respect. I do. We do. I love you.