"Length of life and sunny days, and may your souls not go
homeward till your own child falls in love!"
____ traditional Irish blessing (trans CM)
For most people entering marriage today, such thoughts are far from their heads. Indeed, many disillusional wedding guests sit and discuss - even they toast the happy couple - how long this marriage will last. Though the statistics show that many marriages now end in divorce, there are still a number of long-term relationships that continue - especially if the partners are supported by well-wishing and encouraging friends.
When we celebrate a marriage, we are essentially celebrating the continuance of life: a factor that is now often subsumed in the mutual satisfaction of the couple, who may indeed chosen to have no children. Yet the heart of the marriage blessing enshrines the possibility of life's continuance: the birth of children and the perpetuation of humankind. The best-laid plans to defer a family until a more convenient time are often overturned by nature, which finds a way for life to flourish. In the eyes of new parents, the marriage blessing often seem to be a rather dubious or double-edged one, cutting short personal pleasures and dampening mutual delights.
But the privilege of parenthood, the feeling of blessedness, is also experienced as children grow, change and surprise us. The true fruit of our partnership, they will grow up to marry and have children of their own, so that when our souls go homeward, our offspring will have the happiness, love, and initiation into parenthood in their turn.
"Make your own marriage blessing for those celebrating the beginning of their partnership today. Draw upon the fortunate elements of your own relationships."
[From: "The Celtic Spirit" by Caitlin Matthews]
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