In one short week I'm participating in a group yard sale. As I'm preparing for this, I'm sorting through everything. During the sorting process I ran across bridesmaids dresses. Each dress brought back a flood of memories of that particular friend's wedding and better yet, the person who I stood beside. Megan's dress, for example, still has the remnants of paint plastered on every square inch of it, reminding me how I nearly got kicked out of the hotel for running through the halls, excited about decorating their getaway car. Apparently I was a tad loud...
I can't imagine why, after five or more years, I still have these dresses, but I found myself not wanting to give them up. There are a few that can be warn again as Sunday attire, but many others are ready and waiting for a formal event that may never come. I was lucky to have brides who picked dresses where I felt beautiful while wearing them. The bridesmaids in my wedding, however, probably burned their dresses the very next day. I can't say that I blame them. Every time I look at my wedding pictures I cringe (another story for another time). I'm so sorry.
Thankfully, it isn't the dress that matters. It's the beautiful women who stood beside me and the beautiful women who asked me to stand beside them. You see, each woman holds a special place in my heart and as I sort through these dresses I realized how incredibly blessed I am to have them as friends, no, as sisters. And as I sort through each dress I also realized why picking bridesmaids was such a difficult and painstaking task for me. I simply did not want to pick.
Haha, ask the bridesmaids who were in my wedding, be thankful you didn't have to wear those atrocious dresses! Right?
Seriously though, with each bridesmaids dress, pretty or not, I see significance:
I can't imagine why, after five or more years, I still have these dresses, but I found myself not wanting to give them up. There are a few that can be warn again as Sunday attire, but many others are ready and waiting for a formal event that may never come. I was lucky to have brides who picked dresses where I felt beautiful while wearing them. The bridesmaids in my wedding, however, probably burned their dresses the very next day. I can't say that I blame them. Every time I look at my wedding pictures I cringe (another story for another time). I'm so sorry.
Thankfully, it isn't the dress that matters. It's the beautiful women who stood beside me and the beautiful women who asked me to stand beside them. You see, each woman holds a special place in my heart and as I sort through these dresses I realized how incredibly blessed I am to have them as friends, no, as sisters. And as I sort through each dress I also realized why picking bridesmaids was such a difficult and painstaking task for me. I simply did not want to pick.
Haha, ask the bridesmaids who were in my wedding, be thankful you didn't have to wear those atrocious dresses! Right?
Seriously though, with each bridesmaids dress, pretty or not, I see significance:
- These women were witness to the commitment made to my husband. As a witness to this promise, they have the right to hold me to it. They heard me vow, "For better or for worse, in sickness and in health, till death do us part... I will be faithful..." and they are the one's who'd better remind me of this covenant made in front of them, my family, my friends, and most importantly, God.
- These women selflessly served me on this day, doing what needed to be done to make sure it went as I always dreamed (like wearing the dress).
- These women were my support system on this amazing day.
- These women wiped tears, made me laugh, gave me memories, and loved me when I didn't deserve it (even when bridezilla came out).
Today, there are more women who have come into my life that I'd say share in that significant bridesmaids standing and these women will forever hold a piece of my heart. I was honored to wear the bridesmaids dress for each of my lovely friends and stand beside them as they made this lifelong vow, and I hope (despite the dress) my bridesmaids were as well. More importantly still, I sincerely hope that the women who didn't wear that ugly bridesmaids dress do not think of themselves as anything less than a sister to me, I love you, and you too share in that "bridesmaids significance" even without the dress.
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