Maid of honor

This was the speech my sister did during our wedding, which was the only instance during the entire day/night that I was more than teary-eyed, I was balling.

And here I am today, 2 months after I heard this speech for the first time, getting all teary again just copy-pasting it in the blog editor and reading her words all over again...

She was my maid-of-honor at my wedding. The word fits as I am honored to have her as my sister (not my maid!).

How beautiful you are in that gorgeous white gown. How happy you looked walking down the aisle. As I watch you drink champagne and eat your wedding cake, I see the joy in your eyes. Since I live so far away, I can't always be there to help you through the hard times, I wish I could bottle the love between you and Doodoo, wrap it up and give it to you as a wedding gift.

Then you could take it out on a rainy day and be right back here, in this place, eating and laughing and dancing with everyone. But I don’t think you’ll need such a bottle. The reminders of this special day will be all around you : in the photo album or in the picture frame you’ll have in your new house but especially in the shining band you wear on your finger every day. Use these reminders as a source of comfort and strength during the hard times. And let them bring a brighter smile to your faces in times of happiness.

To my big sister : You were always there to lead the way for me. I wish I could say you showed me around on my first day of school but you were more the « Oh my god, my sister is here… »-type. You also never helped me with my homework, since I was always smart enough to figure it out myself.

You never taught me how to put on makeup or paint my nails, because I was always girlier than you and you never covered for me when I came in late from a date because you always felt you had to protect me from bad boys since you had to counsel me through my first heartbreak.

Even when you moved out to go to college, you were still looking out for me, traveling many miles to be home for my birthday. And today you are still leading the way ; shining a light on the path of love and marriage, showing me how its done and, sometimes, what not to do. When I look at you and Doodoo I somehow feel safer. I don’t know if I can explain that, but you give me hope. And I’m afraid to say it out loud because maybe if life finds out it’ll try to beat it out of you and that would be a shame. Because, we can all use a little hope sometimes. That feeling that everything’s going to be okay and that there’s going to be someone there to help make sure of that.

How wonderful it is to see that you found the perfect man for you. I was proud to stand by your side and when you said « I do ». You took a big step towards your future today, and, in turn, gave me the gift of a new brother. The fun and sometimes hard times during your engagement and the happiness of this day bring us even closer together. I know that if either one of us is in pain, we will always be there to comfort each other.

Remember tonight, for it is the beginning of always. A promise. Like a reward for persisting through life so long alone. A belief in each other and the possibility of love. A decision to ignore, simply rise above the pain of the past. A covenant, which at once binds two souls and yet severs prior ties. A celebration of the chance taken and the challenge that lies ahead. For two will always be stronger than one, lke a team braced against the tempest civil world. And love will always be the guiding force in our lives. For tonight is mere formality. Only an announcement to the world of feelings long held. Promises made long ago. In the sacred spaces of our hearts.

As you begin this new chapter in your life, I will still look to you for guidance because you helped me get this far. How blessed I am to have a big sister like you!

I love you!