Vacation!!!

Respite. Retreat. Freedom. Chill time. Hang out. Be cool, be cool. These phrases come to my mind early and often as I descend into the bliss and harmony that surrounds what I consider to be one of the most beautiful creations known to man kind: vacation.

I started my vacation on Saturday, June 19th. It was a glorious Saturday complete with a crisp blue sky and temperatures in the upper 70s. I left Providence around 8 AM and headed north to Derry, New Hampshire. There, I picked up the love of my life, Sarah Coghlan (www.sarahmastersbrown.blogspot.com) and together we drove to Burlington, Vermont.

Earlier this year we were invited to the wedding of some dear friends from Saint Michael's College. Both a year ahead of us, they have been dating since high school and have finally tied the knot. I know the groom from the fly fishing club. Sarah was one of the bride's roommates Junior year after returning from Spain. We arrived in Burlington around 2 PM and after some light shopping on Church Street, we checked into the GGT Tibet Inn and prepared for the wedding ceremony.

The ceremony took place at Saint Michael's College Chapel at 4:00 PM. It was an absolutely beautiful ceremony. The groom is not Catholic, however the ceremony was officiated by an Edmundite and, to me at least, was very similar to a Catholic wedding ceremony except for the absence of Communion. Nevertheless, the ceremony was wonderful, with a procession complete with a bagpiper. Afterwards, I retreated to the motel room with Sarah for a short rest before the reception.

At the reception, which had all the goodies of a traditional reception- open bar for the first hour, a nice meal, great toasts, and endless dancing- I was able to connect with and converse with a professor I had at Saint Michael's. I had the privilege of taking 2 Psychology courses and 1 Gender Studies course with this man. He is an unbelievable teacher and inspired, and continues to inspire, me to be a better person in and out of the classroom. He has the uncanny ability to speak with men and women of countless backgrounds and instill in them a desire to learn. Although he was not my formal advisor and I did not participate in any research with him, I consider him to be my academic mentor at Saint Michael's College. At this wedding, I was blessed to share his company as a friend and witness the love and friendship that was before us.

While sitting and talking at the reception, this man spoke with me about his table and how the men and women who were at it have been friends not for years, but for decades. He shared his experience of sharing dinner with these people once a month and how blessed he was to be a part of their lives. He spoke with me about the bride and groom and how they invited people who were able to share an authentic acknowledgment of their love for one another. As we looked around the room, this great man explained how everyone in the room was able to share love and friendship for the bride and groom. This, to me, seemed very special. Thinking back on this night, I can't help but think of great food, fellowship, and dancing that occurred throughout the evening. And yet, what was most special for me was being able to sit with this man, my mentor, and, as if we were in a classroom at Saint Michael's, he forced me to think critically about an experience and, in the end I became a better person for it. As I looked around the room I saw the opportunity for people to come together in the name of love and share friendship for two people beginning a life together. I don't think I would have thought about this if I didn't speak with this man.