Hilton Head and Dreams of Happiness Fulfilled

This past weekend I took a trip to Hilton Head Island, SC to attend a close friend's wedding. Despite facing a 7-hour drive to and from, I'm so glad I went, for many reasons.

Over Thanksgiving of 2006, I spend 4 days with my friend, "Jane", in Hilton Head. There were a couple of things that stood out in my mind during my stay there.

First, I was impressed by the way the developers of the island were very careful to incorporate the natural surroundings into every aspect of the design. Driving along the main highway on the island, all the shops, malls, restaurants, resorts, convenience stores, etc., are set back off of the highway, into the trees. Many times one has to actively look to find what one is looking for. You won't see metal stop signs or directional signs in many places, either. They are made of wood. Having lived on the Outer Banks of NC for 14 years, I can't help but compare Hilton Head to the honky-tonk beach atmosphere of the Nags Head/Kill Devil Hills/Kitty Hawk beaches.

The second thing that struck me was the people. "Jane" is a very outgoing, gregarious, loving person. She does not know a stranger and when you meet her for the first time, she treats you as if you were already a friend. Everyone I know loves her. When I was there in 2006, I remember thinking, "Now I know why she loves it here so much, and why she's so happy here." The people on Hilton Head know how to have fun and live life to the fullest. Everyone I met, in 2006 and again this past weekend, was friendly, outgoing, laughing and loving. While there this past weekend I stayed with "Judy", a friend of Jane's, who I'd never met. Judy made me feel welcome and she and I became fast friends. I love the people of Hilton Head.

When I learned that Jane was marrying her boyfriend, "Tom", I said a prayer of thanks, and determined that no matter what, I was going to be there. Without divulging too much personal information in a public forum, the story of Jane and Tom's romance is a unique one. Until recently, theirs was an up-and-down, roller coaster relationship that began 4 years ago. She knew she loved him, and he professed to love her, but he was extremely hesitant about committing. Both are mature adults (over 40), and while she had been married before, he never made it to the altar. I happened to be there when they began dating, and was there with her through the rough times when she despaired of ever being in a committed relationship with the man she loved. I remember saying to her once, "Someday he will wake up and realize what a treasure he has in you, you wait and see."

This past weekend, along with a multitude of friends and family, I was privileged to witness the union of these 2 wonderful people, together at last, despite the bumps along the road. During the ceremony, when Jane was saying her vows, I became unexpectedly emotional, and the tears started to flow. I love this woman like a sister, and the love and happiness I heard in her voice overwhelmed me. But what struck me the most was the happiness I saw on Tom's face and the love I heard in his voice. No one could doubt his love for and commitment to his bride.

Sometimes love is kind, and God has a plan whether we humans can see it or not. We just have to be patient and wait for His plan to unfold.

"Jane" and "Tom", God bless you on your new life together. Take care and love each other to the fullest, and always cherish each other. I love you both!