Make the Effort

             Hi there! I’m well, how are you? I hope you’re well. I’ve had an eventful month. You can catch up with me on Instagram. I’ve had to fix a lot of electronics which makes for long days. I didn’t feel like writing about it because it was exhausting and desperately lacked humor. I couldn’t even find humor in the multiple situations. Anyway, with it being wedding season, I thought I would provide an excerpt from one of my chapters. It’s about a wedding years ago.

I rolled into a church in Minnesota. It was grand with marble and statues everywhere. I was at Keith’s wedding. Keith was a good friend from camp Courage. I had worn a little black dress. I got there fifteen minutes before the ceremony started. I was sitting and taking in how Allison, the bride, decorated the church when I see Keith in a grey suit and orange bow tie bounding towards me looking as happy as I have ever seen him.

 

“Hi friend!”

“Keith, why did you come out?”

“I saw you. You’re here! You drove six hours to get here. The fact that you are here is amazing!”

“I love you. I wouldn’t be anywhere else.”

“I love you too. I am marrying the woman of my dreams today.”

            He had to get back to the front of the church. I love when my friends are happy. I thought about all the things that had to happen in order for me to be in this very spot. Keith found Camp Courage online, my extended family had moved out to Minnesota, and they suggested this place, Keith was a counselor when I was a camper, Keith and I had communicated for seven years over Skype, and he took a few random trips he made to Chicago which all led to this moment. Through my faith journey, I have decided not to believe in coincidences. Everything had been orchestrated by God. I said a little prayer of thanks and the wedding began.

            Allison had on a dress with a keyhole back and capped sleeves. The lace on the dress was stunning. She would not regret this dress ever; it was timeless. When they had their first kiss as husband and wife, Keith was given a step stool because Allison was two feet taller than him. The congregation all laughed at once. They ran down the aisle as a married couple. I was at the very back of the church and Keith squeezed my shoulder. Yeah, this was a lifelong friendship.

            At the reception instead of clinking glasses, you had to go up and ring a bell to get the couple to kiss. I couldn’t get to the table fast enough. I rang the bell, they kissed, and I started to turn around. Brian, another former camp counselor turned friend yelled, “Stop”! I stopped on a dime. The tablecloth got caught in my back wheel. For a split second, Brian, Keith, and Allison all went into “camp counselor mode” and told me exactly what to do. As soon as the moment was over, they instantly went to back to being wedding guests and I hadn’t dragged everything on their table to the floor.

            The night ended with a ton of dancing which I participated into the fullest extent.

            “Hannah, I am so glad you came. It was a long drive and I appreciate you making the trip,” Keith said.

         

       Reader, this summer, make the effort! Make the effort to see people and invest in them. In August, I am going to Minnesota for my annual trip. I’m going to cherish each moment with loved ones.