To My 'Extra Daughter', On Her Wedding Day

Who-cooda-node, suspected, foretold
What a decade would do to transform you.
It makes me feel old, respected, and bold
to speak frankly while marriage is new.

Ten years is a third of your earthly tenure,
It takes nerve to stay single til thirty;
While siblings and friends are all settled in, you're
postponing the time to be flirty.

(talk about forced rhyme!)

The day did arrive, that magical day
When diploma and cheers did reward you.
The goal was achieved, none stood in the way
of the walk down the aisle, 'xept a groom!

(arrgh! that one hurt!)

Ambitious girl, you conquered your world,
With pluck and high spirits you 'showed it'
With heart undemurred, you declared undeterred:
'Mr. Right's out there, I just know it!'

And so, today, I had the great pleasure
To see you sail down center aisle;
A moment in time, forever to treasure:
Your dress, your veil, your smile.

And, he is 'Mr. Right', in spite of my rants
'bout 'Old Whats-Hiz-Name, I seem to forget'.
So ignore my poor grumbles, get on with the dance
Of love, 'cuz you ain't seen nothin' yet.

*******

And, on a more sober note:

I'm so incredibly proud of you, and of Mrs. OS as well. I was dubious of your prospects, and Mrs. OS just hung in with you, taking you from where you were to where she thought you could be--and you're still on that journey. It's been amazing to watch you make fifteen years of progress in ten, get an education, build a business, and not succumb to almost overwhelming social pressure to give up and settle for less.

I have to sound the obligatory cautionary note. It's my job:

Failure is a possibility. That's why love and marriage are risky. I arrived home tonight, and amongst my emails is one from a friend in another corner of the world, detailing the dark and absurd journey through his divorce. Quite a contrast from yesterday's celebrations. Having once participated in the failure of a marriage, I hope you never even come within a mile of that tragedy. But, failure is a possibility. Life is weird and unpredictable.

So, continue to show the pluck, courage, good cheer and kind heart that led you to yesterday. If 'Old Whats-Hiz-Name' does likewise, and I think he will, you're in for some happy times.

Enjoy the honeymoon. See you in two weeks.

OS