“There are two births; the one when light
First strikes the new awaken´d sense;
The other when two souls unite,
And we must count our life from thence:
When you loved me and I loved you
Then both of us were born anew.
Love then to us new souls did give
And in those souls did plant new powers;
Since when another life we live,
The breath we breathe is his, not ours:
Love makes those young whom age doth chill,
And whom he finds young keeps young still.” — “To Chloe,” William Cartwright
I’m not what you’d call a “world traveler,” though I have been a few places across the United States in my lifetime. I can’t say that I’ve ever been to Hawaii, so it was fun to catch a small glimpse of Hawaiian style Saturday evening when our friend Darlene Kite married Dennis Nethery at their Utah home.
It’s been exciting to see Darlene find love again, finding someone who makes her happy, someone who makes her smile and laugh and enjoy life. Dennis is the guy to do that. It was all there for everyone to see and raise their glasses in toasts Saturday night, with a Hawaiian setting being created in front of a horse barn — two mares lazily wandering around nearby in an arena or checking things out over a fence, chickens cackling and roosters crowing before going to their roosting places at sundown, and a crowd of family and friends there to enjoy it all.
It was all very informal, very relaxed. Anyone who could came dressed in Hawaiian garb, although I believe I was the only one there dressed as a Hawaiian cowboy with my straw hat on.
I had great plans to take artsy photos during the ceremony, but there just wasn’t time. I had music to play, announcements to make, Hawaiian-style food and dancers to enjoy, a few dances to try and sneak in with my own lovely bride of 22-plus years.
It was a grand time. Here’s to the happy newly married couple.
A View From The Middle (Class) 