Professions of love filled the weekend

I received a very nice letter from an arsonist last week. It might have been from a potential arsonist or maybe it was an attempt to prevent the creation of an arsonist, I’m not exactly sure.
The letter was written by my granddaughter, Emma. Somehow, she had the bright idea to light sticks on fire, blow out the flames, then use the resulting charcoal as ink. I was impressed that there were no scorch marks on the paper. It was all perfectly legible, including the P.S. at the bottom. That part was written in ink and said, “Mom made me come in.”
My daughter reasoned that if Emma learned to respect fire in a controlled environment, it would teach her how to handle it safely. So far, her theory is working.
Despite the letter containing professions of love, I knew there were other reasons for the missive. Emma’s school is having a fund raiser. The usual over-priced and utterly needless selection of goods is offered for sale. The option of donating directly to the school was dismissed as not furthering her goals of winning a trinket for selling the most items. I’m still deciding if I want to buy something or not.
Most of her letter was a simple, “I love you,” sort of thing. I love that she wrote to me and immediately wrote back.
The love theme continued over the weekend. We attended the outdoor wedding of our step-nephew. It was held at a beautiful venue. The grounds were landscaped to perfection and I couldn’t resist taking a few pictures for reference for my own flower beds.
Chairs were set up at the end of a shady path. The bride arrived to the tune of, “Moon River.” The ceremony was unique. The pastor asked the bride and groom to whisper in each other’s ears what they were thinking as the bride came down the path.
I thought back to my first wedding. The only thing I felt as I walked down that aisle was sheer terror. On the other hand, at my wedding with my current husband, all I remember feeling was  joy.
The ceremony was short and sweet. The last few ceremonies we attended have been long, involved Catholic weddings. This was anything but that. It was over in less than half an hour. On the other hand, it was a perfect way for two people to publicly become one. The weather was ideal. The soft scent of flowers perfumed the air without being overwhelming. The bride and groom were enjoying their time in the spotlight, as well they should.
 Dinner and dancing followed the photography session after the ceremony. We didn’t stay for the dancing, as it was a long drive home.
It was a weekend filled with the love of family. A young arsonist professed her love for her grandmother, and a young couple professed their love for each other. Isn’t that the best life can offer? Love, pure and innocent, is the stuff of life itself.
With all the hatred, murders and pure evil in the news, it is important, it is vital, that we remember that children are still innocent, love abides in families and young couples still take a chance on each other. Love, whether in the form of a charcoal letter, or a simple wedding, will always triumph. And it is this, the power to love in the face of all the divisiveness in the world today, that defines who we really are.