Marriage is a Cultural Handrail

SOURCE:  This speech on marriage comes from the 1990s television series Northern Exposure.  

https://northernexposure.fandom.com/wiki/Our_Wedding

KEYWORDS:  wedding, marriage, bride, groom, 

During one of the first weddings that I officiated, the couple wanted this speech read at the wedding.  I have always found it intriguing, even when disagreeing in part.  

"Marriage. It's a hard term to define. Especially for me; I've ducked it like root canal. 

Still, there's no denying the fact that marriage ranks right up there with birth and death as one of the three biggies in the human safari. It's the only one, though, that we'll celebrate with a conscious awareness. Very few of you remember your arrival, and even fewer of you will attend your own funeral. 

You pick a society, any society: Zuni, Ndembo, Pennsylvania Dutch. What's the one thing they all have in common? Marriage. It's like a cultural handrail. It links folks to the past and guides them to the future. 

That's not all, though. Marriage is the union of disparate elements. Male and female. Yin and yang. Proton and electron. What are we talking about here? Nothing less than the very tension that binds the universe. You see, when we look at marriage, people, we're are looking at creation itself. "I am the sky," says the Hindu bridegroom to the bride. "You are the earth. We are sky and earth united." (to Adam) You are my husband. (to Eve) You are my wife. My feet shall run because of you. My feet shall dance because of you. My heart shall beat because of you. My eyes see because of you. My mind think because of you, and I shall love because of you. 

Now, are you guys cool with that? (they nod happily) Then kiss!"

"As Good As I Can Be"

SOURCE:  "After Simone Biles Injured Herself, a Reporter Asked Her If She Was OK. Her 7-Word Response Is Perfect" by Justin Bariso.  https://www.inc.com/justin-bariso/after-an-apparent-injury-a-reporter-asked-simone-biles-if-shes-okay-her-7-word-response-is-perfect.html?utm_source=newsletters&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=INC%20-%20This%20Morning%20Newsletter.Newsletter%20-%20Inc%20-%20This%20Morning%207-30-24&leadId=132315647&mkt_tok=NjEwLUxFRS04NzIAAAGUomWV8isHdmE5QiPvM2LxbF3lw1y16FnzKnmsiuRf9VF7ENG6J2TWLvq2efpXhfKs9lcnRCXsg18hs0K3or2ZYHiYi3UdwHg2wRtMHn48nb7jjw

KEYWORDS:  Discipleship, Emotional Intelligence, Self-Knowledge, maturity

On day one of gymnastic competition at the 2024 Olympic Games, Simone Biles finished in first place, as expected. What no one could have foreseen, though, is that she did so despite apparently injuring her leg just a short time earlier.

Biles appeared to land awkwardly during a warmup routine. After consulting with coaches, Biles left the floor, returning with her lower left leg taped heavily.

Following the competition, reporters asked Biles if she was OK.

"Yup!" Biles replied. "As good as I can be."

...

It was at [the 2020 Tokyo] Olympics [held in 2021] that Biles withdrew from most of the competition, citing a mental block known as the twisties, also commonly known as the yips. This is a condition in which an athlete suddenly cannot perform certain actions they typically do with ease.

Biles told reporters in 2021 that she took a step back because she had been "struggling with some things," and she wanted to avoid serious injury. Media critics and others pounced on Biles, calling her a quitter and implying she was weak.

In contrast, I defended Biles's decision as emotionally intelligent. And although her response to reporters yesterday was extremely brief, I think it was emotionally intelligent, too.

...

Not that she needed to prove anything. Biles is one of the most decorated gymnasts in history. And it's very likely that Biles wouldn't be here right now if she hadn't made the decision that was right for her three years ago.

But rather than compare herself with others, or even with a past version of herself, Biles is focused on being the best she can be, in the moment.

It's a lesson, Biles says, she learned from her mom.

"I used to be so hard on myself," Biles once said in an interview. "And [my mom's] like, 'You know what, just go out there and be the best Simone that you can be. You don't have to compete against anybody. It's just you and yourself out there.'"

So, if you're struggling with adversity or others' expectations of you, take a page out of Simone Biles playbook: Forget about everyone else. Focus on being the best you can be, right now. Everything else will fall into place.

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As a side note, here is an article about Simone Biles' Catholic faith.  

https://cwima.org/team-usa-gymnast-simone-biles-brings-christianity-with-her-to-the-routine-floor/