Many Happy Returns.

We flew on Friday morning, landed, picked up the rental car and drove three hours west. The world around became more sparse with every mile we ate up. The company was good, despite all of us tired from the early start and travel. We checked into the rental cottage, I got the fire going and we put the TV on, takeaway for dinner, glass of wine.

The next day we headed into the small town to meet the coach that had been put on by the bride and groom, the crowd boarding the coach were an unlikely bunch, from different branches of the couples lives. The atmosphere was polite, excited, happy.

The ceremony was a pagan affair, officiated by a druid, songs were sung, fires were lit, ancestors were acknowledged. The vows read by the bride and groom were dense and lush, painfully honest at times, brimming with love. Hands were tied, tears were cried.

We headed to the pub and were greeted with traditional songs being played on guitars, accordions, whistles. We were lucky to find a table and all set to knocking a few back and catching up.

When it came time to eat, we were ushered into a large barn off the back of the building and a pizza oven was fired up. Myself and **** were seated on a table with a couple in their thirties, expecting their second child. The bloke was either coked up or just really enjoyed talking. His partner didn’t get much of a word in, nor did the two of us. We didn’t mind though, he was doing the heavy lifting and it suited us just fine.

Then onto the third and final room of the day, in which we enjoyed speeches, recitals, songs and dances.

It’s a magic place, the country on a whole but that corner in particular. I came away, especially from the service, with a renewed sense of possibility. Freedom to create, freedom to listen. I felt creatively empowered. Emotional and fortunate. I became aware of my role as custodian, of human life, that I incubate and nurture before passing on. I was reminded of the idea of play. I text home to tell her that I love her. I thought about the miracle of our child, unborn and unknown, yet surely adored, if only we could comprehend. And we will, we’ll understand all too well, In time.