Wedding Reading

I was asked to do a reading in one of my girlfriend's weddings this summer. I am truly honored anytime one of my friends asks me to be a part of their special day. Although I gladly accepted her request, I was a little worried that the reading might be from the Bible and since I am not a regular Bible reader nor church-goer, I am not always sure where to put the emphasis on the Hebrew language. It turns out the reading is in English:

Marriage Joins Two People in the Circle of Its Love
by Edmund O’Neil

“Marriage is a commitment to life, to the best that two people can find and bring out in each other. It offers opportunities for sharing and growth that no other human relationship can equal; a joining that is promised for a lifetime. Within the circle of its love, marriage encompasses all of life’s most important relationships. A wife and a husband are each other’s best friend, confidant, lover, teacher, listener, and critic. There may come times when one partner is heartbroken or ailing, and the love of the other may resemble the tender caring of a parent for a child. Marriage deepens and enriches every facet of life. Happiness is fuller; memories are fresher; commitment is stronger; even anger is felt more strongly, and passes away more quickly. Marriage understands and forgives the mistakes life is unable to avoid. It encourages and nurtures new life, new experiences, and new ways of expressing love through the seasons of life. When two people pledge to love and care for each other in marriage, they create a spirit unique to themselves, which binds them closer than any spoken or written words. Marriage is a promise, a potential, made in the hearts of two people who love, which takes a lifetime to fulfill.”

I like it.