When Adjectives Flex Their Muscles

Jun 24, 2014 | Being a writer, Community | 1 comment

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As a writer, I’ve attempted to follow the advice of Mark Twain: When you catch adjectives in your writing, kill them…. Well, not all, but most, so that any you use will be valuable.
But what’s a writer to do when she’s been part of a most remarkable and memorable week. I must remark and memorialize, and I fear I must even adopt a hyperbolic style. And so, here goes my account, no modifying words barred.
This last week I observed and participated in my niece Christa’s wedding. She was wed in Cleveland, Ohio, in a country club, before 160 guests and with 7 bridesmaids and two flower girls.
Somehow the wedding couple managed to set their special date on the most expansive and felicitous day of the year, the summer solstice. Sunny and warm, perfect weather conditions after a week of unstable patterns, including rain and electrical storms.
Daniel and I travelled the greatest distance of all to be with Christa on what is often considered one of the happiest days of a person’s life. People came from all over the United States to be part of the lead-up-to and the actual ceremony. The bride and groom invited many guests who had been part of their lives since they were kids. Extended family, blended family and closest family were included in the festivities.
It was an amazing five days for me. I was incredibly moved by the care Christa and Dan in looking after and honoring wedding guests.
Behind the scenes, parents, Christa’s step-mother, and other family members were pulling strings, moving mountains and paying the bills to create unforgettable events. There were delicious dinners and a post-wedding brunch for out-of-towners like us. Friday night we attended the rehearsal dinner in a huge marquee, festooned with flower arrangements, and dined on a sumptuous catered dinner. It was followed by heartfelt speeches, a bonfire and the setting off of petite hot air lanterns that were sent skyward with the good wishes of each individual.
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I’ve attended births and funerals and countless weddings. They are all potentially life-altering occasions. If ever there was a reason for contravening Twain’s advice in favour of grandiloquence and extravagance of language, it would definitely be Christa and Dan’s wedding.
 

1 Comment

  1. Very beautifully written!! Love and miss u

    Reply

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