And Now We Dance
On Saturday, April 9, Chance Espinoza married Lauren Strick, the love of his life.
It was a perfectly magical day.
The backdrop of Big Sur’s white foamy waves, beside a lush carpet of green grass, surrounded by towering trees swaying in the breeze was the most glorious chapel imaginable. The blue sky above and the warmth of the sun announced their pleasure at Chance and Lauren's special day.
Watching Chance and Lauren together is always pure joy. And this weekend, the joy was spilling out all over! With open hearts and open arms, they basked in the love of family and of the most incredible friends you could ever hope for.
The common theme from everyone who shared at the rehearsal dinner and at the wedding dinner was this: Chance and Lauren somehow come together with each of their own amazing attributes to form a relationship in which each becomes even more fully themselves--in the very best way.
As I shared in my toast to Lauren and Chance, from the time someone becomes a parent, the constant prayer is for that child to be happy and to be a good human being. Well, I've never seen my son happier. And he is a good human. Now with a wife who is also a good human. Caring, warm, inclusive, funny, smart, deep--just for starters.
And they dance. Whether on a dance floor, in a grocery store, or in their kitchen. They dance. As if no one is watching.
In January when I met with my breast surgeon after finding out I had breast cancer, I asked two questions. "When can I hold my grandbaby after surgery?" and "Will I be able to dance at my son's wedding?" I did both this weekend. There are only so many ways to say, "I'm grateful." I wish there were more, because I can't seem to find enough words.
Chance chose "I Hope You Dance" for our dance together. It was one of the most beautiful, treasured moments of my life. I cried tears of joy and gratitude there on the dance floor, held tightly by the grown man who used to look up at me as a toddler, throw his arms in the air, and say, "I hold you!"
As is the universal truth of life, beauty and joy co-exist with sorrow and pain. We all knew it and felt it and even spoke it out. Chandler should have been at the rehearsal dinner telling stories about growing up with his brother and saying to Chance, "Dude, Lauren's awesome--you did so good!" He should have been standing there beside Chase and Charli in the wedding party as they watched Lauren walk down the aisle to meet Chance. He should have been on the dance floor throwing his signature Chandler moves alongside his siblings. He should have been there. Celebrating with us. It hurt like hell to envision the empty spaces he should have occupied.
Yet, we chose to miss Chandler and laugh. To miss Chandler and celebrate. To miss Chandler and dance. In our missing, and in our dancing...we honored Chandler.
And so begins a new chapter in the love story of Chance and Lauren Espinoza. May each chapter to come be marked with the same playfulness, tenderness, consideration, and devotion that has made you an inspiration to those of us privileged to watch your story unfold.
