Today my daughter and I attended a piano concert to see the Pope -Kantorski duo perform. Emily and I were entranced by their ability to play so intricately and stay together. It was a testimony to their hours and hours of playing together, learning each others thoughts, understanding intentions. What we witnessed was truly a beautiful thing.
At the end of the concert Ann Pope was explaining one of the pieces and she said, “This really is a work of collaboration.” And with those words I began to think. I am not a part of a famous piano duo, but I am a part of a collaboration.
It began on September 25, 1999. On that day I made a commitment to my husband, Michael and our journey began. I didn’t really know what my vows meant on that day. Not really.
You don’t really know who you’re collaborating with until you take three children to the beach. Someone always needs more sunscreen. Another has to potty even though they just went. One cannot keep his crocs clean enough and refuses to wear them with sand in them… Oh the list goes on and on. This kind of vacation is a true example of collaboration. My husband showed himself to be the best at working together while keeping us laughing. (He knows its the only for us to stay sane.)
There have been so many moments that I have been reminded just what those vows meant that I took with my husband. Better and worse, health or illness, wealthy or poor – a lot of highs and lows. We have found ourselves holding on tight while one or the other of us was in pursuit of a new job. Through struggles with pregnancies and health or searching for a new church family we have begun to understand each other’s thoughts, read understated nuances.
I have come to realize that this man I am in partnership is a true gift from God. But this is not the only gift from His hand. There is a third party. We, Michael and I, are not a duo. The only one who can help us to understand the delicate intricacies of our relationship, allowing us to move in unison, is the Holy Spirit. Without Him as a part of this effort we would have fallen apart long ago.
As a part of that ceremony more than ten years ago now, we took three tapestries and wove them together. Now it is a vibrant picture in my mind’s eye of our relationship – the three of us together in collaboration.
If two lie down together, they will keep warm.
But how can one keep warm alone?
Though one may be overpowered,
two can defend themselves.
A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.
(originally written June 9, 2010)
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