Alissa: I decided to wait a few days to congratulate you and Travis for your recent wedding. It’s not that I expected you to clobber him like Wile E. Coyote with a breakfast skillet already, but there was no point jumping the gun with the applause – and I did keep a close eye on the “Police Beat” section of the paper.
Even though you chose a gentleman whose name seems better suited to be listed in the annals of Infamous Gunfighters… (Go ahead and say his name three times in rapid succession with a Western drawl and tell me it doesn’t invoke imagery of shots fired at high noon. Although, he would probably suggest stopping for a cold beverage before doing all the shooting.)
If our lives are indeed topographical maps, you and I became acquainted in a deep valley, one filled with ominous, unseen giants growling in the distance. Unlike many, you climbed out in search of more sunrises to populate your life. It’s easy to somberly continue the trodden path of being forlorn and I’m glad you chose to step forward and greet the promise of a renewed life.
(Take it easy on your new husband. You can tell by looking at his shoes that he is going to try your patience.)
You’ve walked through the valley of the shadows and now I hope you and your handsome husband have years of unfettered time together, punctuated by loud, boisterous moments and people who make every second of it worthwhile.
But don’t have all the moments all at once, like you’re running across an expanse of bubble wrap. Space them out, one laugh at a time, one sarcastic eye-roll after another as things surprise you.
One final thing – don’t pray for wealth. Instead, pray for patience. Strong personalities inevitably lead you to want two sets of boxing gloves from time to time. If it comes to that, let me know and I will sell tickets. 🙂
I, like everyone else, hope that you both have a treasure of smiles throughout the years.
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(Alissa is the widow of my deceased cousin Jimmy Terry, who died of cancer in 2013, shortly after marrying Alissa.)
