"Broke at the Altar" -Porcupette
the journey ahead of us
On January 30th, Lauren and I celebrated nine years of marriage. What’s special about nine years? I’m sure a number of things—but mostly, it means the clock is now ticking toward our tenth, which is a milestone in itself.
So I’ve been reflecting on the imagery of the wedding altar, as you might have experienced in your own way.
Picture that moment—the unveiling. Whether you’re the one lifting the veil or the one receiving the gesture, both parties are in for a few surprises…
We’re Broke
Literally.
For two young adults fresh out of college and stepping into this next season, a tighter bank account was expected early on. Joining finances is a blessing, but it also brings its own challenges—navigating, communicating, planning. At the altar, though, we weren’t thinking about routing numbers. We were thinking: I love this person, and no matter what’s in our bank account… if I’m with them, I’m rich.
Over the past nine years, Lauren and I, like any couple, have navigated these waters together—and we’ll keep doing so for decades to come. But I remind myself that at the altar, money was the farthest thing from my mind. I’m sure that won’t be the case when it’s my daughter at the altar one day ;)
We’ll Brake
Now, imagine that unveiling moment—but instead of the person you love in their wedding-day best, you see them 40 years from now.
A bit of a shock—considering a wedding day is the most anyone will ever prepare, pamper, and polish. This occasion is a display of two beautiful humans making a lifelong commitment.
And yet, from the moment we’re born, our bodies begin to break down—including the one we married. I’m grateful I married someone so gracious and understanding of that reality—for the present, yes, but even more so for the years ahead.
We Broke
Regardless of how we got to the altar—whether entering from stage right or walking down the aisle—we eventually broke in the same direction.
That’s a decision: we’re moving this way together. It reminds me of the “long obedience in the same direction” I shared in the previous Porcupette.
We broke down the aisle together, and it was celebratory. But what’s even more worth celebrating? The way we keep moving forward—through the mundane, the moves, the anniversary dinners, the parenting journey, the grief, the laughter, the community.
We broke in that direction, and looking back is just as encouraging as looking ahead.
Previous Porcupette: Pace After Success is about pacing. Instead of striving for more at an unsustainable speed, I’m learning to move steadily and intentionally, embracing a rhythm that lasts.
Previous Porcupine: Last week, I shared that I’ve always been more right-brained, but a recent conversation challenged me to develop my left. Personality may not change, but character can—and maybe there’s more balance in me than I thought.
Also, big news: a new family photo exists… without my mustache.