wedding vows

Now you feel no rain, for each of you is shelter for the other, 

Now you feel no cold, for each of you is warmth to the other,

Now there is no more loneliness,

Now you are two persons with one life together,

Go now to your dwelling, to continue your life together,

And may your days be good and long upon the earth.

- Native American wedding vow

Will You 

will you hold hands with me, walk with me, dance with me, wash my hair, cook for me, find me clothes to wear and will you sit in silence with me

will you keep breathing when you are scared because of something i say or i do

will you tell me when you want me to hold you, to kiss you, to hug you, to make love to you, to ask you what it is that you need/want
will you dream with me and explore with me and will you tell me when you need silence between us, time to reflect

will you stand side by side with me and will you ask me to carry you when you need me to and will you pick me up and carry me when i need it even when i don't know i need it

will you share with me when you can, your pains and your joys and will you listen to mine and help me see what is there within me

will you remind me when we need to ask for help to remember the fullness of who we are and just what it takes for us to hold each other as we hold and love our children, our community, ourselves, our world

will you play with me, work with me, offer with me, take me on dates

will you remember that i love you deeply even when you feel scared and hit by old pain and have no way of knowing i can be with you or that i want to be

will you spend time with me exploring how we want to live and what this asks of us

will you allow me to tend to you when you are vulnerable - emotionally or physically and will you move towards tending to me when i am the same

will you sing to me and will you encourage me to sing to you - to find my words, and will you remind me i want to dance for you even though this feels so big a thing to do

will you help me to stay present to myself, especially to our children even when it seems impossible to do so and i feel to small for raising children

will you accept my love and, as you can, accept me in all the ways i will show up even when i surprise you

will you offer me yourself and will you continue to grow and learn and reach out and will you remind me to do the same

will you share with me your ideas, your passion, your heart

will you remind me there is so little i can fully know and there is so much i can experience

will you help me to remember there is something beyond either of us that has called us together and that we are supported and loved beyond the you or the i or the us of us..

- Jas and Gayano 2014