The four of us (myself, Russ and my two kids) attended a family wedding. My cousin Erik married his high school sweetheart Becky (like a hundred years later...way to hang in there guys!) in a beautiful ceremony in Palm Springs after which there was a touching and joy-filled celebration. After being introduced for the first time as "husband and wife," the couple made their way to the edge of the dance floor where they waited quietly for the music of their first dance to begin. As the first few bars of "Home to You" by John Micheal Montgomery played, Erik led his bride onto the floor and into a lovely waltz that had obviously been choreographed and practiced countless times. As they glided around in each others arms I happened to glance across the table at my eleven year old daughter Grace. Her chin was resting on her hands which were propped on the back of her chair, and her eyes, which were locked on the bride and groom dancing, were filled with tears...so much so that even in the darkened room I could see them fall from her eyes and into her lap. After the dance I caught her eye and motioned for her to come over to me. She climbed onto my lap and I whispered in her ear "Honey, are you okay? What's going on?" Confused, she looked at me and said "I don't know." I smiled then and I smile now even as I write this because, bless her heart, my daughter is a female and she is wired for romance just like the rest of us! She'll soon find out that Kleenex is a must-have for all future weddings and receptions!
A little later in the evening the D.J. called all the single guys out on the dance floor. You guessed it...it was time for my junior high son to receive an education that he had not expected to get (nor had Russ or I remembered to forecast to him--or at least recommend a timely trip to the men's room until hoops and bustles had been put back in order). Spencer soon found out about "garters" and by the look on his face he didn't mind the lesson...he was cracking up. As I sat and watched my "little boy" stand with about 20 other men I started getting all misty, that is until I noticed one subtle movement from my son...as he stood waiting for Erik to throw the garter, Spencer clenched his fists and cracked his knuckles...that was when I knew it was all over for the other "bachelors." The minute the garter was launched into the air Spencer leaped about 3 feet and grabbed hold of it. When he landed he did an arm pump that he must have learned from Tiger Woods...it was hilarious. You see Spencer, like most men, is wired for competition. It didn't matter to him what the prize was, if it was a competition he was going to be right in the middle of it giving it his all (although he did say that since the "prize" had the Ohio State logo on it that he was going to have to give it back).
So there you go...my daughter is wired for romance and my son is wired for competition. Can you relate? Or, perhaps more importantly, can we still relate to one another? Even though very different things "move" us can we still appreciate the opposite sex? Can we still enjoy hanging out together? I hope so.
Later in the evening, my son and daughter were dancing up a storm and laughing out loud. Spencer and Grace are so very different and yet they are still able to (most of the time) enjoy one another. I pray that Our Lord helps us all to do the same. Whether between brothers and sisters, husbands and wives, fathers and daughters, or mothers and sons, may we always be found appreciating (and sometimes giggling about) our many, innate differences and still dancing through life together.
Let's Pray...
Father God we thank you and praise you for you are the One that "knit us together in our mothers womb and we are all indeed fearfully and wonderfully made." (see Psalm 139) Please help us learn to love and appreciate the differences between one another, especially between men and women, and help us celebrate those differences in ways that are honoring and glorifying to you. In Jesus' name, Amen.
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