Diamonds on the Water

I was the officiant at a wedding on Sunday, October 10, 2010 at 10 am. Yes, 10-10-10 at 10am which only happens once in 1,000 years, they say!



It was being held at a community called Atlantique on Fire Island. My co-worker has a house there and is responsible for connecting me to this couple. I asked that I might stay overnight with her since the ferry schedule would prohibit me from being there for a 10 am start. We had a wonderful day walking to Ocean Beach, next door to Atlantique. The shops and restaurants are closing for the winter season and we got some nice gifts. I found a glass bottle that was perfect for the sand ceremony that the couple had planned for their wedding.



The morning of the wedding was a gift from God. It was clear, warm, sunny, without a cloud in the sky and very little wind. The groom and his brother set up a makeshift "altar" with a surfboard. The conch shells for the sand ceremony sat on the surfboard. All the guests started walking up the beach, some in shorts and jackets, the ladies in dresses, jeans or shorts. Shoes were optional. The bride was escorted down the boardwalk and down to meet her groom by a dear friend who also threw the reception.



The sea sparkled in the background as they married each other in the presence of their community. God was invited into the ceremony and He or She certainly was shining down on the day. I thoroughly enjoyed being their "Reverend"! I was treated to a weekend on the beach that I love, drinking in all the beauty around me. The deer, almost-empty beach and especially the gorgeous ocean. Each sparkle glistened on the water, like winks from my own personal Spirit! It makes me cry to think of the vastness of that water, and how the tides are so perfectly scheduled.



I took the ferry back to Bay Shore with the Best Man, the groom's brother. We enjoyed being outside on "the top" fo the boat. He grew up summering at the beach and lives in Nashville, so we enjoyed a last trip on the Bay after a beautiful day.



Blessings on you all today!