poems

Classic Reading from "The Prophet"
Love one another, but make not a bond of that love. Let it rather be like a moving
sea between the shores of your souls. And stand together, and yet not too near
together. For even the pillars of the temple must stand apart: and the oak tree and
the cypress will not grow in each other's shadow. Remember that love gives nothing
but from itself. Love possesses not, nor would it be possessed, for love is sufficient
unto love. And think not that you can direct the course of love. For love, if it finds
you worthy, will direct your course.

Apache Blessing
"Now you will feel no rain, for each of you will be the shelter for the
other. Now you will feel no cold, for each of you will be the warmth to
the other. Now you are two persons, but there is only one life before
you. Go now to your dwelling, to enter into the days of your life
together, and may your days be good and long upon the earth"

This is often added to the Apache Blessing.
Treat yourselves and each other with respect,
and remind yourselves often of what brought
you together. Give the highest priority to the
tenderness, gentleness and kindness that your
connection deserves. When frustration,
difficulties and fear assail your relationship- as
they threaten all relationships at one time or
another-- remember to focus on what is right
between you, not only the part which seems
wrong. In this way, you can ride out the storms
clouds that may hide the face of the sun in your
lives- remembering that even if you lost sight of
it for a moment, the sun is still there. And if
each of you takes responsibility for the quality
of life together, it will be marked by abundance
and delight.

Irish Wedding Blessing I
May the road rise to meet you.
May the wind be always at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your
face. The Rain falls soft unto your
fields.
May the light of friendship guide your
paths together.
May the laughter of children grace the
halls of your home.
May the joy of living for each other
trip a smile from your lips, a twinkle
from your eye.
And when eternity beckons, at the end
of life heaped high with love.
May the good Lord embrace you
the whole length of your joy filled days.
May the gracious God hold you both in
the pals of his hands. And today may
the Spirit of Love find a dwelling place
in your hearts.

Irish Wedding Blessing II
May joy & peace surround you both,
Contentment latch your door.
And happiness be with you now
and God bless you evermore.
May you live your life with trust, and
nurture your affection. May your
lifelong dreams come true for you,
moving ever that direction.

A Beautiful Tapestry

___Bride and ___Groom, just as two very different threads woven
in opposite directions can form a beautiful tapestry, so can your
two lives merge together to form a very beautiful marriage. To
make your marriage work- it will take love. Love should be the core
of your marriage, Love is the reason that you are here. But it also
will take TRUST- to know in your hearts you want best for each
other. It will take DEDICATION- to stay open to one another: to
learn and to grow together even when this is not always so easy to
do. It will take FAITH - to always be wiling to go forward to
tomorrow, never really knowing what tomorrow will bring. And it will
take COMMITMENT to hold true to the journey you both now
pledge to share together.

I have for the first time found what I can truly love- I
have found you. You are my sympathy- my better
self- my good angel- I am bound to you with a
strong attachment. I think you good, gifted, lovely: a
fervent, a solemn passion is conceived in my
heart: it leans to you, draw you to my centre and
spring of life, wraps my existence about you- and,
kindling in pure, powerful flame, fuses you and me
in one.

Charlotte Bronte
Jane Eyre

MicMac Prayer
O Our Creator and Great Grandfather
of all, Who dwells in the Spiritland
known as heave, We beg that you look
towards us, your children who live here
on Mother Earth and hear our prayer:
Beacause, Our Creator, we learn to
believe with the highest respect, the
law you had set forth. We ask that you
bring to us, this day, Good Spirits from
the four directions: East, South, West,
North. So that when we put our minds
together for this gathering, we will be
of one heart before we leave. Bless us
with understanding, strength and
compassion and may we always walk
the path to heaven that you made for
us. Let it be, Let it be, Let it be.

A letter from Paul to the Corinthians
Love is very patient and kind, never jealous or envious, never
boastful or proud. Love is never haughty or selfish or rude. Love
does not demand it's own way. Love is not irritable or touchy. Love
does not hold grudges and will hardly notice when others do it
wrong. Love is never glad about injustice, but rejoices whenever
truth wins out. If you love someone, you will be loyal to them no
matter what the costs. You will always believe in them, always
expect the best in them and always stand your ground defending
them.

Kahil Gibran "The Prophet" on Marriage

"Then Almitra spoke again and said, and what of Marriage, Master? And he answered saying: You were
born together, and together you shall be forevermore. You shall be together when the white wings of
death scatter your days. Ay, You shall be together even in the silent memory of God. But let there be
spaces in your togetherness, and let the winds of the heavens dance between you.

Love one another, but make not a bond of love: Let it rather be a moving sea between the shores of your
souls. Fill each other's cup but drink not from one cup. Give one another of your bread but eat not from
the same loaf. Sing and dance together and be joyous, but let each one of you be alone, Even as the
strings of a lute are alone though they quiver with the same music.

Give your hearts, but not into each other's keeping. For only the hand of Life can contain your hearts.
And stand together yet not too near together: For the pillars of the temple stand apart, And the oak tree
and the cypress grow not in each other's shadow.

"Acts of Love"
You can give without loving, but you can never love without giving. The greatest acts of love are
done by those who are habitually performing small acts of kindness. We pardon to the extent
that we love. Love is knowing that even when you are alone, you will never be lonely again. And
great happiness of life is the conviction that we are loved. Loved for ourselves. And even loved in
spite of ourselves.

Cherokee Prayer
God in heaven above please
protect the ones we love. We
honor all you created as we
pledge our hearts and lives
together. We honor mother
earth and ask for our marriage
to be abundant and grow
stronger through the seasons.
We honor fire and ask that our
union be warm & glowing with
love in our hearts. We honor
wind and ask we sail through life
safe and calm as in our father's
arms. We honor water to clean
and soothe our relationship- that
it may never thirst for love: With
all the forces of the universe you
created, we pray for harmony
and true happiness as we
forever grow young together.
Amen