Readings and Poems
Art of a Good Marriage
“A good marriage must be created. In the marriage, the little things are the big things. It is never being too old to hold hands. It is remembering to say, 'I love you,' at least once a day. It is never going to sleep angry. It is having a mutual sense of values and common objectives. It is standing together and facing the world. It is forming a circle of love that gathers in the whole family. It is having the capacity to forgive and forget. It is giving each other an atmosphere in which each can grow. It is a common search for the good and the beautiful. It is only marrying the right person. It is being the right partner.”
Treat Each Other With Respect
“Treat yourselves and each other with respect, And remind yourselves often of what brought you together. Give the highest priority to the tenderness, gentleness, and kindness that your connection deserves. When frustration, difficulty, and fear assail your relationship. As they threaten all relationships at one time or another. Remember to focus on what is right between you, not only the part which seems wrong. In this way, you can ride out the storms when clouds hide the face of the sun in your lives. Remembering that even if you lose sight of it for a moment, the sun is still there. And if each of you takes responsibility for the quality of your life together, it will be marked by abundance and delight.”
1st Corithians 13
“Love is patient and kind; love is not jealous or boastful; it is not arrogant or rude. Love does not insist in its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrong, but rejoices in the right. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends.”
Irish Blessing
“May the road rise to meet you, May the wind be always at your back. May the sun shine warm upon your face, and the rains fall soft upon your fields. And until we meet again. May God hold you in the palm of his hand. May God be with you and bless you. May you be poor in misfortune, rich in blessings, and know nothing but happiness, from this day forward. May the road rise to meet you, may the wind be always at your back. May the warm rays of sun fall upon your home, And may the hand of a friend always be near. May green be the grass you walk on, may blue be the skies above you, may pure be the joys that surround you, may true be the hearts that love you.”
The Hand Ceremony
“These are the hands that will work alongside yours, as together you build your future, as together you laugh and cry, and together you share your innermost secrets and dreams. These are the hands that will cherish you through the years. These are the hands that will tenderly lift your chin and brush your cheek as they raise your face to look into your eyes. These are the hands of your best friend as they pledge their love and commitment to you all the days of your life. These are the hands that will comfort you when you are sick. These are the hands of your soulmate, and friend.”
