Wow, our California Wedding Extravaganza is over and what a fantastic time we all had! I could write about the past 10 days forever but I think it's better and easier to just show pictures and write only a little!
We were all able to put a wedding together for Rann and I in just 1 week. We arrived last Saturday and were out and about almost immediately meeting vendors, making decisions, not making decisions then finally making them. Everyone we met was so helpful and sweet and ready to do business.
Being back on the campus brought back the safety and freedom I first experienced about 7 years ago when I was a freshman.
(wow!) The sun was as kind and warm as ever and the wind was gentle and caressing and life felt expansive again. I once told a friend years ago that there was no other place on earth like SUA. My friend reproached me that my limited worldwide travels didn’t permit me to make such a statement. I just ignored such cynicism. I dare anyone to disagree with me! I'll always be a part of this place and a part of it is with me.
The ceremony was held in the garden at Soka University of America on September 12th, 2009 -the always magical Athenaeum garden!
Many lofty memories are still held there. Too many to recall at the moment but a few poignant ones: embarking on a hike to the ocean from the garden’s lookout point on my 21st birthday, dancing healing waves with Tali and Mals, moon viewing, peeling oranges on the grass and talking, being with the mist that gathers in the canyon at dusk, tears, laughter, all the seasons in the garden.
Being there on this new occasion, in ceremony with Rann, my new partner in life (and crime—haha) our families and friends, those memories seemed to bear witness to something new and exciting. The winding presence of butterflies and rainbow-colored paper cranes seemed to highlight a joy found in all things uniting~ creatively! The garden is a symbol of peace, a renewed addition to my own inner landscape that is constantly expanding from east to west and back again. I’m so grateful to SUA's founder Daisaku Ikeda for building a place for people to gather and celebrate each other.
Friends and family traveled from all over to be present for the wedding. We had a rehearsal the night before to prepare for the dancing portion of the ceremony. I felt happy again teaching dance. It was thrilling to see everyone come together in dance! There’s nothing more joyous than dancing. I decided not to perform but I wanted to make sure my dancing spirit was there throughout. My mom was doing the little dance I taught her all weekend!! Priceless.
Some of us girls went out after the rehearsal for a little rite of passage ceremony at the beach before the big day. I won't write much about it except for that we threw grapes into the night Pacific, ate tiramisu and
acknowledged our feminine selves through each other. I love connecting with my girlfriends, a truly a beautiful feat that I miss doing very much. And then we went out for sushi!!!
When I think about it, our families combine the cultures of the Chinese, Spanish, Filipino,
Japanese and Russian-Jewish Americans! That only means one thing: Koooosen-Rufu all the way--hai!
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