Funny thing, weddings

I was fortunate enough to get to travel this weekend to Tennessee, first to Jackson, and then to Nashville. A surprise party for my grandfather took me to Jackson, and it was an incredible night. Sam was completely shocked by having all of his friends and most of his family there to wish him well (and to wish he and Grammy a happy 5th anniversary), and Meagan and I got to meet what must have been 75% percent of the population of Jackson. We saw/met some old friends of the family, and I got to meet and hear secrets from a published writer, which really encouraged me as I plug along through the course I'm currently taking. I also got to meet Charles, the gentleman who Mom has talked so much about and is teaching her how to play poker and golf (which are two definite pluses in my book). There was so much love in the room that night, and we were very lucky to have been a part of it.

On Saturday we attended the wedding of a friend of mine from college, someone I had roomed with for three years and one of my first friends at school. We were officers in Tau Beta Sigma together, as well as members of the band for each year we were in school. It was a nice ceremony, and so many of our mutual friends showed up that it was almost a band reunion. Meagan and I saw folks we hadn't seen since she or I graduated, and some for even longer.

My friend Jay was the best man at the ceremony, and part of the toast he gave mentioned that some relationships had come and gone in the time that the bride and groom's had, and I really thought it struck a chord with my entire weekend. See, one of my grandmother's best friends, C.J., had moved away from Jackson to Tupelo, MS eight years ago for a new job. She recently retired and is now moving in to the house across the street from them. C.J. was at the party, and she and Grammy acted like she hadn't skipped a beat. Eight years and they were still carrying on as if Tupelo was ten minutes away.

Then I looked at Meagan and me. In the past three years we've been through so much and we're still going strong (aside from the occasional spat over driving directions of course). Of course, I'm completely sucking up to my wife when I say, but I can't think of anyone else I'd rather be married to, and somehow that feeling gets stronger with every day that passes by.

I thought it was going to be a hard weekend, and there were a couple times when it was. All in all, though, it really taught me something. Not every strong friendship or relationship is meant to last for any number of reasons or outside influences, but that's the way it goes. I realized that that's what makes the ones that do last that much more special, and to enjoy them and keep them strong. It was so good to see everyone again, and I'm really going to try my hardest to keep up with everyone that I can, even folks I didn't get to see over the weekend.

And if you're reading this, you're one of those people. I know I say this a lot, but this time I really mean it -- shoot me an email at michaelponeill2003(at)yahoo.com and tell me how you're doing. I want to stop losing touch with people and keep up to date with what's going on. I promise my next post won't be this melodramatic, just think I had to get it off my chest.