Marriage as Gift

Photo by Sandy Millar on Unsplash

I had the joy of attending the 30th wedding anniversary celebrations of a couple I have know many years. I was actually Best Man for the Groom – how we all looked younger thirty years ago!

It was such a lovely weekend of good food and friendly chatter. I was thinking how the thirty years older bride and groom have used their marriage as a gift to other. They have had some really tough times over the years with some serious ill health and, like all couples in marriage and partnerships, they have had their ‘sticky moments’. But essentially, it seems to me, the hallmarks of their marriage have been blessing and hospitality. They have shared their lives with others and radiated love and concern. They have welcomed others and been generous to those around them.

I wanted to catch some of this sentiment in a poem for a speech after the formal dinner. So although I have not written a poem for over two years this one came quite easily in a couple of hours.

The Place of Marriage

For Liz and Alan on the occasion of their 30^th wedding anniversary

There is a place far beyond the fiery
hills of passion and the dry places
of despair and heartache.

It is a place, they say, where houses
are made of pearl and the
quiet gardens are lush with pomegranate
and red hearted strawberries.

The parks of this place are for healing
with trees of solve and bushes of balm.
Fine borders of blues and reds
are planted out for peace,
for the journey is always bruising.

They are not alone in this place
for there are hallways called welcome
and the hearths are warm with generosity.
Others come and go to this place
if only to know, once again, the blessing
of love they share, which arrives
like the smell of jasmine at evening.

There is a place far beyond the fiery
hills of passion and the dry places
of despair and heartache
where grace comes.

For them in this place, now in their autumn,
there is a holding of hands,
a keeping of stillness, a sitting
comfortably amid forgiveness
and in their hearts there are castles,
strong castles of commitment and love.

Tim Clapton 30^th August 2026