no, not the 24th anniversary of this series. But of tomorrow, December 29, For on December 29th, 1985 my life changed permanently and irrevocably for the better.
It is not the beginning of the story. And certainly it is no where the end of the still- and unending - story.
It was at an Orthodox Church in Bethesda, Maryland, that afternoon. Then a reception at historic Oatlands Plantation near Leesburg. Followed by a first evening at the Patent House at the Little River Inn in Aldie, on the start of a honeymoon that included San Juan Capistrano, San Diego, Tahiti, Moorea and Bora-Bora.
Somewhat belatedly on the afternoon of December 29, 1985, I became officially bound with Leaves on the Current under the laws of the state of Maryland and canons of the Orthodox Church.
So my happy story is that day, which I would like to share with you all.
The wedding was supposed to begin at 4:00. Fat chance. Leaves was supposed to be at the Church at 3:30, which since I know she runs late, allowed for a margin of error.
She and her sisters finished dressing at our house in Arlington a bit late, but in plenty of time to still arrive at the Church for the start of the wedding. The limousine driver insisted he knew a shortcut (there is none), and because she was worried about being late, Leaves agreed.
She and her sisters got a remarkable tour of the nearby countryside. I remember wondering what had happened (those days were well before ubiquitous cell phones), and had stepped out to the front of the church with my best man when I saw the limo, followed our car being driving by one of her siblings, going the wrong way on River Road!
Eventually everyone arrived at the Church. And belatedly we had a gorgeous Orthodox wedding, with friends and family surrounding us.
I had discovered that my next door neighbor growing up was then a naval surgeon stationed in Bethesda, so out of the blue, after having had no contact for several decades, he was able to join our wedding party as one of my ushers.
When we called the Arts Alliance of Washington to arrange for musicians, the woman, who had worked with my wife previously, mentioned that her favorite flute player was standing there, gave me a name and number, and I had called nad left a message on the home machine. When she called to return the call, she said "my husband wants to know if you went to National Music Camp." I had to apologize for not having paid attention to the names on the machine when I left the message. The answer was yes, her husband was someone I had known well,at that point for 30 years. Of course he was invited to the wedding as well. Later they would take us to dinner at the Kennedy Center on my 40th birthday the following spring, as it was the annual appearance of the Kings' Singers, whose concerts in DC he promoted.
Some of Leave's acquaintances came from as far away as Alaska and England and France. I vaguely remember her roommate from Oxford connecting with an my old friend from working in NY who had been an assistant Dean at Princeton when the friend and her husband were undergraduates there.
Originally Leaves, being very much of a traditionalist, had wanted a formal receiving line. Because we were so late getting to Oatlands, which had left up its Christmas decorations for our reception, she agreed to forgo that, and instead we were able to mingle freely and spend more time talking with our guests.
When I made remarks I of course had to note the delay. But as I reminded all assembled, we had begun our relationship with a chance encounter at the Bryn Mawr train station on September 21, 1974, so I had already been waiting more than 11 years for that day, what difference did an extra half hour or so make!
We have now been together for more than 35 years, and as of tomorrow afternoon, married for 24. It seems to me that makes for a happy story.
Near the end of Messiah, there is a chorus the text for which is appropriate as I look back at that day, for which I thank Leaves. For that day, for all the days since, even when I am impossible, and for all the days to come, in this life, and throughout eternity.
Here is that chorus,
with the key words,
Thanks, thanks be to God.
Peace.