It was pretty cold that day. In the morning I found out that one of my two friends who had come over from Germany didn’t have a white shirt to wear. As if there wasn’t anything else to do, I borrowed one from my father and brought it over to their B&B, together with a tie which he had not forgotten – he had just never worn one before. My sisters’ hats looked great – they and the rest of my family had been told that women wear hats on these special occasions. Which turned out not to be entirely true. The neighbour had taken a few days off to clean out his garage so that we could park my overloaded VW Beatle in it – the first time a car had been parked in that garage for years – as we were heading off to Spain for the year the next day.

Today must have been one of the warmest October days on record in Dublin. We sat out in the garden for a cup of coffee and a bit of carrot cake. After a meeting I had erroneously scheduled for today, we headed out to have dinner. Remembering that day 33 years ago. Remembering 33 years. Thinking: we very likely won’t be here in another 33 years. Settling for and toasting to the next ten.

I was so nervous back then that I never really enjoyed that day. Back then I didn’t think it was the ‘happiest day’ in my life.

Today, there is absolutely no doubt in my mind that it was not just one of the happiest days but also one of the luckiest day in my life. In many surprising and unforeseen ways.

When I look at the wedding pictures, those of us who are still alive are in the minority. Not just the older generation, but also my friend of the white shirt and tie, and my sister are no longer with us.

A reminder of how precious life is. And that it is up to us to live it to the full. And, even more importantly, that we need to help those who need our help most to live their life to the full.

I listened to Amazed today. I know, I know. It is terribly “schmalzig”.

I don’t know how you do what you do
I’m so in love with you
It just keeps getting better

There are days when it ‘just keeps getting better’ and there are days that are difficult. Today was a good day. For which I am truly grateful.