Saturday, May 29, 2010

on your wedding day


We thought we were so clever, so cool.
The Cool Cats Club we’d call ourselves.
There were three.
Me, my sister Jen and our longtime friend Emily.
We were each a year apart.
I was the oldest.
Emily sandwiched in the middle with her floral-printed dresses and tennis shoes
We used to admire her long hair, her ballet costumes, her point shoes.
We’d take turns “doing” her hair,
Playing dress up in her fancy tutus and leotards.
We were not dancers,
We wore dresses only on occasion.
But we were friends.
The best of friends
We did everything together.
And that included sleepovers each weekend.

Emily’s older brother Nate, one year my senior would often tease us
As we’d sit by the fire, heads together, each nose buried in a separate book.
Or the way we’d collect candy and instead of eating it, we’d save it in a jar for the rainy day that never came.
We’d make string friendship bracelets and sell them to innocent victims
And constantly irritate the older boys that were also always at their house.













It seems like time has flown since those days.
There is a picture of the three of us one summer,
Sitting on the front steps at Emily’s house after undertaking weeklong (or so it seemed)
Sewing project with her mom.
After we were done, we were all left with a dress, each in the fabric of our choosing
Unlike anything we’d ever wear in normal circumstances.
Me with my toothy braces grin,
Headbands and these dresses not fit for a mumu-wearing grandmother.
I wonder where those dresses are?
That photo is engrained into my memory of simple times














Where reading books and microwaving laffy taffy until it was warm and stretchy
Was all that was on the calendar.
Where summers left us free to do or not do as we please.
To read a babysitters club book  a day without the guilt that we should be doing something else.

These memories are branded on my memory,
And although the years have widened the gap of our bosom buddy bond,
I still feel a sisterly love for this girl I grew up with.
The girl who caught the bouquet at my wedding...










































So today, on her wedding day, I remember the girl she was in light of the woman she has become.
She was beautiful, with her amber hair and freckles then – and even more so now.

Congratulations Em.




















*Emily's wedding pictures by Nina at {RUTABAGA PHOTOGRAPHY}

2 comments:

dave said...

I love this

dave said...

so much better with the pictures,. i so hope M reads this.

 
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