In the Setting Sun

Condensation tears slide down the glass in my hand as a beautiful couple delivers their wedding vows.

They stand beneath a floral arch on the terrace of Prospect Park Boathouse. Lullwater Lake paints their surroundings. A late June breeze kisses the lush greenery behind them. The bride speaks about big and small moments of love as a swan floats past. 

That love envelopes the park, from the tearful crowd of friends and family to the cheering local onlookers. I reflect on the love that poured from each remarkable and trivial moment in my own life this week as the bride and groom say “I do.”

Love is in someone knowing exactly what cocktail and pasta dish you will order at a new restaurant. It’s in a kitchen full of best friends eating bagels on a Sunday morning. It’s in a train ride home to visit family. It’s in the wine that squirts from my nose while playing a nostalgic board game. It’s in a teary FaceTime call from my mom to tell me she’s engaged. 

For the night, love is in the setting sun over a boathouse full of wedding guests. It’s sipped from champagne flutes after they’re raised for a toast. It sings “Mr. Brightside” with a crowd of college friends and dances with the newlyweds until Prospect Park falls asleep.