Speaking of Stages
Many years ago the Rav of our shule called my husband up one night and asked if he could come to shule in about half an hour--they were going to be "shtelling a chupah" (holding a wedding) and a minyan was needed.
My curiosity was killing me and I couldn't wait until my husband came home. What kind of a wedding gets put together in half an hour?
The choson was a widower of about 75 years of age. The kallah was a woman who had never been married before and was 71. They had met, had held many conversations with each other and believed that they still had some "time left" in which they could make each other happy. They were not looking for a ten-course meal and a 5 month waiting period. They just wanted to get married and get on with their life together. The man's kids couldn't conceive of why a man of 75 would "need" to get married again but basically said "do what you want." The couple did--they got married.
The choson and kallah were not members of our shule but our Rav was the 9th person they called to be mesader kedushin--the others had refused. Our Rav would later tell us that if a 75-year-old and a 71-year-old couldn't be trusted to know when a shidduch was the right one, then who could know?
The kallah walked herself down the aisle--she had no parents or siblings living. When she was about half way down, her choson came out from under the chupah, walked up the aisle to where she was, turned around and walked down with her the rest of the way.
My husband, who is not a flaming sentimentalist, said it was so beautiful to watch the faces of this couple as they got married. He said "It was just like a real wedding." That's because it was.
I certainly had this story in mind when I mentioned in the posting on stages of life that one should never give up hope, that there is always a chance.
3 comments:
That's just beautiful. Thank you for sharing this story. :)
Reminds me of a neighbor of mine who disappeared on a whirlwind romance with a fellow from a different country. She was a great grandmother, he a grandfather.
If the story ended there, we could all smile and call it "cute". Unfortunately, around 4 years later, she's come back with her tail between her legs, so to speak.
I wish your couple better luck.
Lon,
I feel sorry that your neighbor's story did not end better, but age brings no protection for having made a mistake.
My couple had a bittersweet ending. The husband died some six years after the wedding. But he left a priceless "yerusha" for his grandchildren and great grand children--he left them a Bubi who loved them dearly. And when she was niftar the grandsons asked for permission which was granted so that they could say kaddish for her.
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