Ruffles, sequins, lace and flowers

Yesterday was the day.  It was a blowy January afternoon on the beach at the Gold Coast.  The sun was out to play, but the clouds held back it's blaze.  There was a man, in a suit, preparing a table with a white tablecloth at the end of the boardwalk, where bench seats lined the small square area overlooking the waves.

Another man in a suit came around the bend and approached the other man.  They shook hands, greeted, and discussed positioning for the events to follow.  There were other people starting to mill around, family of the second man, friends wanting to share in the festivities.  I stayed off to the side, watching quietly, waiting patiently for the lady of the hour.  I'd know who she was, she'd be wearing ruffles, sequins, lace and flowers.

It wasn't long, and there appeared before my eyes an astonishingly beautiful lady.  She was everything I had expected, adorned beautifully for the man in the suit.  A woman with a camera darted around in front of her as she walked carefully in her heels - which were getting stuck in the gaps of the boardwalk. She smiled.  A big, excited smile.  What was about to happen was clearly the most wonderful thing in her life.  I watched, silently, tearfully.

They said words, loving, heartfelt words, binding them together for always.  They kissed, their first kiss as partners for eternity.  The crowd smiled and clapped, congratulating them.  I watched, outside the crowd, wishing I was standing beside her, congratulating her too.

The woman with the camera huddled the small crowd together to catch the moment in a photograph.  Everyone smiled and said 'cheese', waved their arms in the air, the man and woman kissed.  I just watched, knowing I was not a part of that photograph, I was not a part of this memory.

The beautiful lady in the beautiful dress - no longer on her own.  Never again should she feel that no one loves her.  Never again should she fall into the traps of loneliness.  Never again will she wake up and wonder whether today will be her day to shine.  That day had come.  And boy, oh boy, did she shine.