circle of support, and a story

[Joelle Lyons Everett]

Friends--

My heartfelt thanks to everyone who has shared feelings, perspectives,
forwarded many different viewpoints in the last two and a half weeks.  It has
been wonderful to have voices from around the world and a variety of windows
through which to view the terrorist attacks.  The magnitude of the event
seemed for me to demand a wider understanding than I could manage on my own.
Your words and actions are helping to heal my soul.

In spite of the tragic deaths and widening circles of effects on our society,
life is going on in many sustaining ways.  One of my own personal challenges
is to try to live in Open Space, and keep that space open whatever is going
on in and around me.  In that spirit, I'd like to share the following.  This
is a personal story, so please feel free to delete if you are not interested.

Thanks,  Joelle

Another Wedding in Open Space

Unlike some other recent rep[orts, this one was not officially planned as an
Open Space event, but that is the way it happened--spacious, self-organizing,
openhearted.

Whoever comes are the right people:  This was a second marriage for both, and
they did not want a big wedding.  Their first thought was to slip away to a
favorite spot and be married.  But when the time came they invited the
bride's mother and stepfather with their current partners, the groom's
parents (Paul and I) and one brother to go with them to Glenwood Springs,
Colorado.

Whenever it starts is the right time:  The wedding had been postponed several
times by the illness of the bride's grandparents.  Her grandmother died in
late August, her grandfather died an hour before the funeral service.  Now,
in September, the bride is seven months pregnant--time to celebrate this
union.

The physical space of the ceremony could hardly have been more beautiful.  A
swift mountain river flows through Glenwood Canyon.  The steep cliffs and
peaks on either side are huge rock, red dirt, hillsides of evergreen splashed
with patches of bright yellow aspen.  The skies were clear deep blue, with
hot sun and cool breezes.

The wedding procession was a walk a quarter mile or more on a paved path
which curves along the river to the trailhead of the Hanging Lake trail.  The
bride set off on the arm of her husband-to-be, joyously marching to her own
inner music, white chiffon blowing in the breeze around her expanded
waistline.  Family members fell in line behind.  I still have a cast on my
leg, so brought up the rear in a borrowed wheelchair.

John and Shannon picked a pretty spot under the trees, with the river in the
background; we set up a video camera and stood in a semi-circle facing them.
They read the ceremony they had written (they were still writing at breakfast
time), asked family members to read some favorite pieces, exchanged vows and
the rings they had designed.  Then we all joined them and offered good wishes
and blessings on camera, since many family members were not able to be
present.

The rest of the three days were filled with hiking and visits to the hot
springs pool, walks around town and shared meals, much good talk and
laughter.  Getting to know this new family that is being created.  Stepping
out of our everyday lives to honor the spirit of this sacred moment.

Just as we all do when we open a new space.

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