Yesterday, Debbie’s and my youngest got married to an amazing young woman, Samantha. There was something deeply satisfying about this marriage.

Chris and Samantha are absolutely meant for each other. Individually, they each possess wonderful qualities. Together, they complement and magnify those qualities. I cannot wait to see how years of loving, caring and supporting each other will cause those qualities to shine.

I am filled with so many memories of Chris growing up in our family. At times, he could be so energetic, almost explosively so. Other times, he would be very focused and intent. I remember him studying ants on the sidewalk or intently observing people. And boy, could he make us laugh. From a young age he possessed great comedic timing. I remember times sitting around the dinner table in our new house, laughing uncontrollably at something he said.

Chris always had a strong moral compass. He was concerned about what is right. And he cares for people. I remember him telling me about his deep concern for a situation a friend was going through and thought to myself, “I wish I had a friend like Chris when I was growing up.”

Chris is also extremely creative. I’m amazed at how easily he could paint, draw and learn musical instruments. I love looking at a few of his paintings that are still hanging in his old room. And one of my favorite possessions is a detailed pencil drawing of a raccoon with the words, “I Love You Dad,” that still hangs in our dining room.

After Chris graduated from high school, he started seeking God’s call on his life. He wanted to explore the monastic life in the Orthodox Church. One of the greatest honors given to me was him including me in conversations about discerning God’s calling and letting me join him on a trip to St Herman’s Monastery in Redding, California. I will always cherish those memories.

Another cherished memory will be our three-day roadtrip from Austin, Texas to California. We talked for hours about God, the Church, the universe, relationships, and so many other topics and visited St Anthony’s monastery in Arizona.

When Chris started dating Samantha, it became apparent pretty quickly that she was perfect for him. Their personalities and qualities complemented each other so well. She easily became part of our family. It was fun watching them together — talking, laughing, and supporting each other.

Yesterday, in St Nectarios Orthodox Church, surrounded by friends and family, Chris transitioned from my son to Samantha’s husband. Chris and Samantha entered into a sacramental covenant with each other that will form them into one person and further transform them into Christ’s likeness. The day was filled with God’s presence, life and faithfulness that I pray will continue throughout their marriage.

I love the following quote from Elder Aimilianos as he describes the living sacrament of marriage:

“Marriage is a journey of love. It is the creation of a new human being, a new person, for as the Gospel says, ‘the two will be as one flesh’. God unites two people, and makes them one. From this union of two people, who agree to synchronize their footsteps and harmonize the beating of their hearts, a new human being emerges. Through such profound and spontaneous love, the one becomes a presence, a living reality, in the heart of the other. ‘I am married’ means that I cannot live a single day, even a few moments, without the companion of my life. My husband, my wife, is part of my being, of my flesh, of my soul. He or she complements me. He or she is the thought of my mind. He or she is the reason for which my heart beats… in marriage, it seems that two people become together. However, it’s not two but three. The man marries the woman, and the woman marries the man, but the two together also marry Christ. So three take part in the mystery, and three remain together in life.”

Chris and Samantha embark on a new life together. Like all marriages, the years will bring joys, heartbreaks, opportunities, loss, excitement and stress. They will journey through these moments together as one person and one life.

For Debbie and me, this is bittersweet, because Chris and Samantha live in Texas and not near us. We are excited about what they will experience and share. But we are also sad that we won’t be geographically close enough to enjoy the journey in person with them.