A summer of memories

I’ve been known to get caught up in the moment.

Maybe it’s not just me, but I have a hard time seeing the vast importantness of life’s moments until they’re happening or shortly after. I get so caught up in the exact moment that, presto, the big shindig happens and then later on I realize big-picture awesomeness.

This summer has been action packed and it’s all starting to hit me. So far I’ve been part of five weddings, two bachelor parties, bought a house and celebrated my first wedding anniversary. Big summer, almost too big to see just how big it’s been.

For the most recent wedding, I was privileged to be the minister (yes, I registered online and yes, they’ll let nearly anyone sign up!). I helped my sister-in-law and her groom with the script, edited everything so it had a nice flow and found time to practice it in front of my wife a few times.

Never did I realize the power those words held and the emotion they would bring. I was in charge of the biggest day of two people’s lives, the day their parents dreamed of, the day their friends and family drove hundreds of miles to witness.

Just before I started the ceremony, I was introduced to the groom’s mother. She’s wonderful, thanking me for doing this for her son, who she’s so happy for. Then it hit me like a punch from Mike Tyson. Today means the world to her; she’s flown to Oregon from Nebraska and the guy responsible for pulling it off? Me.

The ceremony went great. I made some funny ad-lib jokes about the Oregon weather and everyone said I did a great job after. But it was the hug from the now-husband’s mom that took me back. She was teary, happy and so proud of the man her son became. Proud that she was able to be there and meet her new in-laws.

I felt out-of-body for a moment and realized whenever she thought of that day, her son and his new wife accepting their rings, she would also see me. She’ll remember me guiding them through their vows, three words at a time, and saying, “I now pronounce you husband and wife!”

I’ve been trying to spend this year in the moment and not being another cellphone-distracted live-life-through-a-digital-screen you-know-what. I’ve made memories to last a lifetime because of it and it turns out, I’m starting to realize how I’m helping make memories for everyone else.

Double win.