A Long and Happy Marriage

Yesterday (3/28) I co-officiated Eliot and Ben’s wedding ceremony with Father Steve Bierschenk at the Perot Museum in Dallas, Texas. Here are the remarks I shared with them and their guests:

 

When you ask Ben about Eliot, he says, and, yes gentleman, you want to jot THIS down in your play books, "I am lucky to have found the perfect woman." And he adds about the beginning days of their relationship, "She only got more beautiful each time I saw her." Guys, there is a reason this guy is addressed as "Coach"!

Now, humor aside, spend just a short time with these two, and you see that the bond they have is so strong, it easily overcame the differences in geographical background, cultural origin, and yes, religion too.

How did they do that? Well, I did say humor aside, but I was kind of lying, because I think that is half the answer. Don't take my word for it, though.

Eliot says, that their relationship from the very start was, "marked by a lot of laughter... he brings an overwhelming amount of joy to me – he makes me laugh and smile every day and I simply love being around him." Ben echoes this, "Everything with her was so easy and natural. Our personalities and sense of humor were perfect for each other."

Now, no joke, I am serious about this. Humor and laughter are an essential and critical ingredient to every serious relationship. We all realize seriousness is important to life. That's obvious, and you know these two have that. You can't coach or sell football, if you are not an absolutely serious person. We are in Texas, after all, where one of the largest religions is football, and this groom is just as much a clergyman as Father Stephen or me! However, we all know folks that take themselves just a little too seriously, and they generally do not make the best partners for pretty much anything, from the simplest pick-up basketball game to the slightly lengthier commitment we consecrate here today.

Once again, not Eliot or Ben. In this area, Ben needs no coaching, and you don't need a marketing presentation to convince Eliot either. They get it. In fact, what you get from them is that they have just the right mix of seriousness and light-heartedness, which ensure that this romantic partnership will result in a long and happy marriage. And THAT is no joke...