The Best Day of My Life

Ten years ago today my wife and I were married, which seems like kind of a long time ago, but at the same time seems like yesterday.  I still remember the day very clearly, and, though I have had many great experiences since then, the years have not changed the fact that if you asked me to name the best day of my life, I would answer, with no hesitation, “my wedding day.”

Of course there is the obvious reason, which is that I got to marry the love of my life, and yes, that certainly factors in to it, but I have gotten to spend many great days with her over the past decade, so why does this day stand out?  Well, of course there was the celebration factor.  Marriages are happy occasions (hopefully) and so all of our friends and family were there to support us and be happy for us, and it was just one giant party.  You don’t get too many days like that in your life.

I think that the overall feeling of joy that permeated the whole day is what really makes it my best day, over some other obvious choices like the birth of my children.  I will never forget the day that Ruby was born, but her birth was filled with equal parts elation and terror.  I remember her heart rate dropping, and I remember rushing into the O.R. and wondering what was happening to my wife and unborn child.  And I remember holding my daughter for the first time, and how completely transcendent that was.  But could I say that, overall, that was the best day of my life?  No.  That day contained some of the happiest, and most terrifying, moments I have ever experienced.  But my wedding day was constant and absolute bliss.

From the beautiful weather, to the music-filled ceremony that we designed, to the kickin’ reception, complete with choreographed wedding party dance WAY before it was fashionable on YouTube (For those of you keeping score, YouTube wasn’t founded until 2 years after our wedding), the day was just flawless, and I remember riding a euphoric high all the way from beginning to end.  Sure, there were hiccups, but none of it seemed to matter.  All of the crises of pre-wedding week were miraculously solved, and I was getting to marry the most beautiful woman on Earth, who just happened, by chance, to be my best friend.  It was epically awesome.

Now we have been married for ten years.  We have had good times.  We have had bad times.  We have been healthy, we have been sick, we have been poor, and we have been even poorer.  But a day never goes by where I wonder if I made the right choice all of those years ago.  I may not be where I am supposed to be in life sometimes, but at least I’m with the right person.  And the best day of my life was the day I got to say it to the world.