Where the wedding dress dare not go

So I know this is silly, but the truth is that I have used the wedding dress to help me face adventures that might be a bit scary. The dress can bring humor to turn a situation, or at least change my perspective. 


I hold on to pictures of the dress when I cannot take it with me, like to scary medical procedures. I had one of those on New Year's Eve, nothing too out of the ordinary, just something involving odd bodily probings, and wanted to take the dress. Ric said that was creepy. 

So I asked if I could just take my shell bouquet...and he said that was creepy too. OK...can I take a teddy bear? Nope...just time to "cowgirl up" I guess.

I do believe in courage and bravery and facing our fears, but I also believe that grace in the face of danger can be enhanced with something to hold on to. We tell our kids to hold hands, or we cuddle up with our critters, or we wear our lucky clothes or don our special piece of jewelry. That is what the wedding dress has been for me, not just a celebration of commitment, but also a way to bring humor and joy into what can be challenging. 

So, as 2014 unfolds in front of us full of wild unknowns and frightening propositions and terrifying opportunities (I mean that in a good way), perhaps we all need to find our lucky charm...one that can go with us into creepy places without looking...well...creepy. Something we can hold on to that reminds us that we are as courage is about facing the unknown with grace and a bit of humor. Something smaller than a wedding dress...and a Newfy...that reminds us that we too are human, and that fears our normal. And sometimes we just need to recognize our need for some courage