I had the privilege to preside over a confirming ceremony for John Barfield and Meg Kuklovic. Their friends are all fans of science, astronomy, and science fiction adventure stories. I wrote the introductory words, and John and Meg authored the portion of vows and ring exchange. I want to thank my son Jesse and good friend Jordan for their help crafting and editing the final wording.
Presiding over this ceremony was a high privilege. It was a great deal of fun to dress up in “faux minister” apparel, and speak solemn words on their special occasion.
December 30, 2016
I ask each of us to think about the miracle that is our universe. …
About the irresistible forces of gravity and momentum,
always in a perpetual dance, finding their own balance.
We look up to the heavens and see this cosmic dance on a grand scale;
as the Moon dances about our Earth,
as our planets dance about the sun;
momentum making them flee
while invisible gravity pulls them back together.
We know that distant binary star systems spin about each other,
drawn together in a fiery dance of unimaginable scale.
Finally we know that even on the grandest scale of galaxies,
with billions of twinkling stars,
gravity and momentum balance out
as these tremendous systems find their own equilibrium.
Every single thing in the universe,
once introduced to change,
finds equilibrium with all others.
We know that these natural forces are true of all bodies at every scale.
Why would it not be the same with the human heart?
Today we see John and Meg come together like two stars on fire,
their love as large as any Galaxy, twinkling with billions of points of light,
full of energy, and teeming with potential.
Until today they moved independently,
at times in concert and at other times in opposite directions.
But starting today, in this place, they now share a center of gravity.
For millennia, poets have written words about this change;
musicians have composed and sung about it.
Here today the inexplicable alchemy of love
is pulling their hearts, and their lives,
together into a new orbit unto themselves,
forging a new life that they will share together …
from this day forward.
John (then Meg) repeat after me:
I will be your guiding star
in all your endeavors, great and small,
because failure is not an option.
In my arms, you will always find a home,
for I will be your vessel.
(Place the Ring)
With this ring, I pledge to you
my love, honor and respect
for as long as we both shall live.
No power in the ‘verse can stop me.
“Let Us All Celebrate Their Union”
Your Daily Duncan 