A Conversation With The Rabbi

Rabbi Bill Kramer marries us in 1980

Turns out, not everything gets included in the wedding vows. If on this day back in 1980, our rabbi had said to us, in front of family and friends, "Listen kids, one day, you'll get mad at each other and then, God willing, you'll make up. One day, you'll discover something new and wonderful about each other, and one day you'll discover something you could live without. One day, there'll be boxes to pack and unpack, moving trucks and something mysterious and all-consuming called escrow.

"And one day, there'll be two boys, two little adorable humans who'll make noise and wrestle and play loud video games. They'll want things from you. Like Burger King and skateboards, basketballs and hockey sticks. You'll want things from them. Like good behavior and good grades. You'll teach them to drive. They'll drive you crazy. With a little luck it'll all work out fine in the end. They'll get Bar Mitzvahed, that I guarantee. They'll graduate college. They'll do great things, in general. How do I know this? I know you.

"And so, the two of you, the high school sweethearts, as you look at each other today on your 37th anniversary, your view partially obscured by Larry and Bob, the Flea Mavens, knowing now what you couldn't know then, that along the way, there'd be sadness and loss, blessings and mazel, earthquakes and plumbing fiascos; that you'd have your ups and downs and in-betweens; and given all that mishegas, if I asked you once again, would you still say, 'I do'?"

To which we'd respond, "Rabbi, not only would we say 'I do,' we'd say what we actually said on this day back in 1980. We'd say, 'Definitely.'"