Dan the Early Retired Man Marries Off His First-Born
My cousin Dan from Minnesota, who retired early from the U.S. Postal Service this year at age 53, saw his daughter marry this month.
Last weekend I experienced something momentous: the wedding of my child. At one point during the service I looked at my daughter and wondered where the last 27 years went. And who is this “woman” standing here that used to be my little girl? She is our first-born, the one that changed us from a couple to a family and now she is in Europe on her honeymoon. It is surreal.
When our kids are born, we hang banners on the house announcing their arrival. There is a notice on the bulletin board at work, flowers being delivered and cigars to be smoked. There is even a local company that will litter your lawn with pink plastic storks. Everyone at work and in the neighborhood knows you had a baby. When you marry them off, it’s months of planning, a five-hour party and then before you know it, you are saying goodbye to your friends and relatives. Maybe there is an announcement in the local newspaper (but who reads newspapers nowadays?). It’s over in a flash and only those people who were on the guest list knew it happened.
Tomorrow I’m going to hang a banner on the house that says, “1 down, 2 to go!”
(Photo: the bride as a child)
October 20th, 2009 at 10:15 am
This is my all time favorite picture of my Daughter.
October 20th, 2009 at 12:17 pm
Well, Congratulations to Dan and his daughter!
October 22nd, 2009 at 10:19 am
Ok, now that you have me almost in tears:-) My husband and I watched Father of the Bride and vowed to NEVER watch it again – we were both in tears.
I know it is a happy occasion, but still hard to see them go. Of course, if they find that “right one” it will make all the difference. We’re still waiting for that to happen with our kids.
October 26th, 2009 at 1:39 pm
I married off my firstborn three years ago. It was the happiest and saddest time of my life. She found her Mr. Right and now they are trying to start a family. So, I look forward to the grandchildren.
Now my son, the baby of the family, is getting married. He’s been in the Navy for three years and is very happy. Unfortunately, none of us think he’s found Miss Right. I hope I am wrong.
I sympathize with your feelings about marrying off your daughter and wish her the best. Say a prayer for my son, please and hope I’m wrong about his future spouse.
October 26th, 2009 at 2:25 pm
That’s a tough situation, Suzanne, when someone close to you is marrying someone you are uncertain about.
Laurie, thanks for stopping by.
Hey, Sul!
October 28th, 2009 at 12:00 am
[...] A rite of passage for many baby boomers is the marrying-off of a child. Read about it at the Boomer Chronicles. [...]