For Better or Worse

Last weekend I was fortunate enough to attend two weddings - one was on Friday afternoon, floating on a pontoon in Sydney Harbour, and the other was on Sunday, two hours drive north in a picturesque surf club on the ocean's edge. Both were beautiful events that celebrated love, foremost, along with other grand notions such as fate, fortune, happiness and commitment, alongside overcoming obstacles and adversity, which if we're honest represent some of the major hallmarks of the human condition.

Of course on such days guests are usually inspired to evaluate their own lives and highlight the similarities and differences all wrapped in a package of gratitude - and I was no different. So in between chatting to the happy couple x2, other guests, eating/drinking and celebrating on the dance floor, I was indeed awash with these thoughts and feelings.

Now, this post could easily be about the love in my life, but since I am a fierce protector of the privacy of my loved ones, I do not think it appropriate to over-share. But I will say that I am fortunate and I do cherish all those who willingly share their lives with me and who allow me to share mine with theirs. I'm a lucky boy!

Instead, as this is a blog about following one's heart in respect to one's purpose in life, I thought of the correlation between the exchanging of marital vows with that of the bond of writing. A bit of a leap, granted, (about the size of the Grand Canyon), but a quirky and fun leap at that!

For those artists/creators out there - it matters not which form of art is your poison, there is a time (whether the occasion is marked or not) that you commit or surrender to your form of art and you become bound to it. It becomes part of your DNA; a part of what makes you 'you.' It permeates your reasoning and becomes a form of ballast in the turbulent waters of life. And like a wedding of sorts it requires the recitation of vows...

I, Farmer Kidd, take thee, writing, to be my lawfully wedded endeavor, to have and to hold from this day forward (I can't give this up, even if I wanted to - it's in my blood), for better or worse (inspired creating or hackneyed rubbish), for richer or poorer (bestselling lists or print-outs on A4 paper handed to bemused relations), in sickness and in health (unsellable concepts to commercial gold), to love, honour, and cherish (to simultaneously give me purpose and torment me), til death us do part (yep, that's what it'll take for me to give up).

So, for those creative types out there - I now pronounce you 'artist and subject.' You may kiss the...I'll leave that part up to you.

Have a long, happy and successful marriage...as divorce is not an option ;-)

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Wedding_rings.jpg