August Evenings

My friend Sheralyn and I hugged each other and gave a final farewell in a blistering hot underground subway station on the hottest day of the year in New York. I had already said so many goodbyes last Friday. I was not sure whether or not I should rejoice at the job offer from Deloitte or weep at the imminence of telling New York goodbye.

As I surfaced at Broadway and 116th for the last time, I began to feel the surges of emotion in my chest. I walked toward the Hudson and found Riverside Park, which I somehow never discovered until the last evening in the city. I began to realize how much a city can have a personality. I felt like New York is a person, one I will miss very much. I found myself thinking and God interrupting them to have a conversation. "Won't such a great city as this have any great words spoken about it in eternity?" You know the answer to that, my son. "I just want to remember this place because I'm sad I'll have to leave it." Why would you trade the glory of eternal things for something that breaks your heart? And this is what we always love to do: become fond of things that will break our hearts.

Before bed, I had a final coffee in the city, this time with my friend Maria. We left and talked about life, God, pain, and family amidst a mighty lightning storm on the way back. A few hours later I was riding the M60 bus early Saturday morning, wistfully looking through the city streets for the last time. By the time I was in line to go through security procedures, my mind had completely changed topics. Now for the real thing. A young lady who was more real than a city, more real than a summer, more real than anything I've ever known before. Waiting for me to come home so we can make our steadfast love known to the world.

My plane arrived back in New Orleans shortly before noon. Amanda picked me up, and as I told her I would, I said, "I am ready." She already had a picnic lunch prepared for me and we ate at Sunset Point in Mandeville on Lake Pontchartrain. Immediately, I was adjusting to the silence so different from the constant clamor I'd heard in the big city for over two months straight.

It was my 21st birthday, so I wasn't surprised when Amanda pulled out a package. Carefully wrapped inside was a brand new MP3 player. We listened and danced to a couple songs she had downloaded onto it already, including our first dance for the wedding. Then a lyric from a song came on that said, "We should make jerseys, 'cause we make a good team..." She quickly produced two white tee shirts and tempera paints and we made ourselves matching shirts. (I have to say that look good enough to be sold in Aeropostale. They turned out well.) Later she took me to Trey Yuen, where we had our first "official dinner" date not two years ago. All I can say is, I felt much more relaxed and peaceful this go-round! I think she would agree.

Since then, this week has been crazy. Getting the marriage license, finalizing the ceremony, finalizing the music, making multiple trips to Baton Rouge to move into and clean our new apartment, buying furniture, buying clothes, seeing Betsy and Ryan's little baby James...

Tomorrow I have a final tux fitting and a bachelor party to coordinate and attend. Then Friday, time with Clayton and Mautz relatives, a rehearsal and rehearsal dinner, and packing for a honeymoon in Ontario, Canada.

Saturday morning, I intend to take a tub bath, eat a relaxed breakfast, and then put on a white tuxedo with boyish enthusiasm.

And then comes a beautiful woman, the love of my life, wrapped in pure white garments, walking down the aisle toward me. Her father will remove the veil, we will stand to face the altar together, and...