On a recent wintry walk, I was listening to Michael Meade. Stories + Walking = Happy Jen. His words and stories got me thinking about beauty & ceremony, and how they are so linked for me…
Michael Meade said, “To put more beauty into the world is to change the world. Beauty is the antidote to terror.” He went on to share his thoughts that the people that make the decisions that cause so much destruction are not looking at beauty…that they haven’t REALLY SEEN anything beautiful in a long time. That if we put enough beauty into the world, people may begin to remember that THAT is what it is all about.
Heck yeah is what I thought. Or as Caroline Casey says, “I am betting on beauty.”
I am putting final touches on a five year vow renewal for two lovely humans who have the honor of being my first “strangers that found me on the interwebs” couple (ie, I officiated their private elopement style nuptials 5 years ago, and they are renewing vows with family this time.) This sort of five year full circle moment has me thinking a lot about why I do what I do and how it has changed…
And there are so many whys I could give, and it has evolved… But what has remained consistent as my why since the beginning is: Beauty. The impulse is always to create a beautiful wedding ceremony for a couple, for their family and their community. To have a moment where we can all get present to the beauty of this planet, of love, of the ties that link us. To create something that feels real and true in its exaltation of everything beautiful. To firmly root a marriage with all that is beautiful. To be in service of beauty feels aspirational for me… a constant but gentle desire to always reach towards more bigger better truer beauty. #Beautyforpresident
And yes, the funny faces I make during a wedding ceremony are all in service of beauty. Funny is one of the most beautiful things in the world to me.