Marriage Forms A New Framework

My dearest Delna and Manu, what a joyous day this is, as we gather to celebrate the beautiful covenant you are making before God and all those who love you. We've watched your journey unfold, seen the smiles, the laughter, and the deep affection that has brought you to this sacred moment.

As you stand here, ready to embark on this incredible adventure, I want to pose a question, one that might seem a little unusual for a wedding day: Delna and Manu, how much have you studied human beings? How much have you studied how two individuals can truly live together? Or are you starting a journey without looking up about the way and the destination.

I ask you this because, Delna, however many times you've met Manu; or Manu, however long you've known Delna, there's a profound truth we must acknowledge today: the Delna that you knew until yesterday will be different from the Delna you will get to know tomorrow on. And Manu, the Manu that Delna had known until yesterday will not be the same as the Manu that she will come to know from tomorrow? With marriage, with families coming together, dynamisms change, life changes. Stress emerging from bounden responsibilities that come along with marriage create a new framework from which you operate.

This isn't to say that the person you fell in love with vanishes. Far from it! It means that in the crucible of marriage, where two lives merge into one, you will both grow, evolve, and reveal new facets of yourselves, not just to each other, but also to yourselves.

Consider it a beautiful, lifelong journey of discovery. You might think you know every quirk, every habit, every dream. But marriage will peel back layers you never knew existed. You'll witness each other's resilience in challenges, their quiet strengths, their surprising vulnerabilities, and their blossoming joys in ways you couldn't have imagined before. The key to this journey, my dear ones, is to embrace this dynamism. Don't cling to the "yesterday" version of each other so tightly that you miss the magnificent person they are becoming today. Love isn't about holding someone static; it's about growing with them, celebrating their evolution, and supporting them through every transformation.

Keep studying each other. Be curious. Ask questions. Listen intently, not just to words, but to the unspoken needs and dreams. There will be moments of revelation, some beautiful, some challenging. Extend grace to yourselves and to each other as you navigate these new territories. Talk about the changes you see, the feelings they evoke. Create a safe space where you can share everything without fear of judgment. As individuals, you'll change, but as a couple, you will also change together. Nurture your shared values, dreams, and purpose.

Delna and Manu, today you are not just saying "I do" to the person standing before you, but also to the person they are becoming, and to the person you are becoming. This is the profound beauty and the thrilling challenge of marriage. It's a continuous invitation to deepen your understanding, expand your hearts, and fall in love anew, every single day.

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