"Daisies are such friendly flowers." (Meg Ryan in You've Got Mail)
Daisies in glass bowls decorated the tables at our wedding, 37 years ago today. My aunt volunteered to do them for us.
Tim and I looked at each other this morning and marveled how the years have marched by. Those young, young people committing to each other and to God are not the same people as they are now. The years have taken their toll on physical bodies. Careers have changed. Children were born, grew up and now form families of their own. Darling little ones now call us Nana and Grandpa. There's been much, much joy and a large portion of tears during these years. The joy far outweighs the tears, but this morning, I'm feeling a little pensive.
Our dreams were not grandiose. We envisioned a family, settling down in the town we met in, building our own home and living there forever. Tim has his carpentry papers and envisioned himself as a contractor one day. I wanted to be a stay-at-home mom.
How God must have smiled at us then. Instead, we've traveled and lived overseas for 21 of those 37 years, raising our family in circumstances wildly different from our own childhoods. Tim now sits behind a desk in meetings that affect many people. He's off to Salt Spring Island for the day for work. I did stay at home while the children were small, later began teaching, and love it to this day. We never did build our own house and it's unlikely to happen now. But wherever we've lived, we've made a home.
There is no pre-figuring the future. Yet each step we take in life leads us along a pathway. Sometimes, we play the "what if?" game. What if we hadn't gone to Ecuador? What if we had done this, or that? Life would be very different. I don't regret any of the major decisions we've made. Life is richer for our experiences, both the good and the bad. Thanks be to God.
And so I come back to the daisies. Our anniversary celebration will be on Friday, but for tonight I'm making a special dinner. I think I'll pick some daisies for the table.
I had daisies for my wedding posy and have always loved them for their innocent happiness. Congratulations on your anniversary. We have just passed our 42nd one and like you I wonder where those years have gone and life has not been quite as we envisaged but we've learned lots of things along the way and now we are different people. I often say to Mr M did you ever thing we'd be living here or doing this or that Did we ever imagine that getting the washing dry out of doors might be something worthy of comment or that the little baby who kept us awake every night for nearly 4 years would turn into the independent and clever young woman she is now? Did we ever think... of course not but I don't think I'd want to change any of it as it's what has made us who we are today.
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely way to remember your wedding day. We just celebrated our 36th and I too have no regrets for what life has brought us. Wishing you a very Happy Anniversary among the daisies.
ReplyDeleteDaisies are such friendly little faces, innocence in a vase. We are in our 35th year and like you, realise that life took its own path, different from what we had expected, but rewarding nevertheless. They say Man plans, God smiles'!
ReplyDeleteHave a wonderful anniversary! It is truly amazing how God's leading can change our plans.
ReplyDelete(for the better)
Congratulations on your wedding anniversary!
ReplyDeleteDaisies are pretty flowers...enjoy your celebration together.
And you will make it special as special can be...
ReplyDeleteGod's plans for you seem much richer and fuller than what you had planned on your own. I'm sure that that will be true forever. Have a beautiful anniversary week!
An early Happy Anniversary wish to you. Daisies always make me smile. Have fun celebrating...
ReplyDeleteHappy Anniversary. When I look back, I too see two very different people than the people we are now. When we got married we couldn't have dreamed the adventure our lives together have been. Pick those daises and enjoy the day and reflecting.
ReplyDeleteHappy Anniversary to you and Tim, Lorrie. Your married life has been full of all sorts of adventures. I too play "what if" on occasion. What if I'd met that special someone to marry, what if I'd had a family. Sometimes it pays to remember to be thankful for all that I do have.
ReplyDeleteEnjoy your celebration on Friday!
-Karen
A beautiful and reflective post, Lorrie. I don't wait for anniversaries or birthdays to play the 'what if' game, having been an expat for over 25 years now, I find that these thoughts occupy my mind quite often, but more so when I'm going through a difficult phase.
ReplyDeleteHope you have a lovely day on your anniversary!
Poppy
Happy anniversary Lorrie. I had daisies in my bouquet too 42 years ago and remember fields of them behind our house growing up.
ReplyDeleteA lot to reflect on when you've been married this long and it would seem you've had a blessed union.
Happy Anniversary, Lorrie!
ReplyDeleteDeanna
My bridesmaids carried daisy bouquets, simple yet lovely. Happy anniversary, dear cousins, and many more.
ReplyDeleteLove this, of course. I also had daisies for our wedding. Yes if we could have looked ahead and seen what life would bring us …. it's much better to look back and give thanks. Happy Anniversary!
ReplyDeleteAw! Happy Anniversary on Friday! Special thoughts you put into words! And daisies were big in that care-free easy going era...I had them in the bridesmaids' baskets.
ReplyDeleteI love daisies too and have some silk ones on my nightstand. It's sure fun to look back and see where life has taken us. We could have never planned it! Happy Anniversary to you both! Have a wonderful evening....sharing memories! Sweet hugs, Diane
ReplyDeleteWhat a sweet and tender post, thinking back about your life plans and how things actually transpired. A bouquet of daisies for your anniversary celebration sounds perfect. Congratulations on so many years of dedication, joy, and love!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful post and I know now why daisies are so very special to you. God bless you both on your anniversary.
ReplyDeleteHappy, happy anniversary. I love daisies! No doubt you plucked the"loves me" petals!
ReplyDeleteI love how you wrote your story intertwined with daisies. Just lovely. And no we never know when we leap into matrimony where life will take us. Best wishes and happy anniversary.
ReplyDeleteWishing you the happiest of anniversaries as you celebrate HIS wonderful story and how it was (and continues to be) written in your lives together. I love what you have so eloquently expressed here today...
ReplyDeleteHappy Anniversary Lorrie. Glad your years together have been full of lovely memories. Here's to 37 more !!
ReplyDeleteDear Lorrie,
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for coming by and taking the time to leave a comment and wish me a happy birthday. It means a lot to me.
I love your post . . . It's so thoughtful and full of grace. I hope that you and your husband share a beautiful weekend together as you celebrate another wedding anniversary.
So happy you shared your thoughts with us!
Have a wonderful week,
Suzanne
Happy Anniversary, Lorrie!!! I've always loved daisies & used to have a big patch of them at my other house. I need to get some more!
ReplyDeleteI hope your special dinner turns out great & that you & your sweet hubby have many, many more happy & healthy years together.