Life is full of unexpected suprises.

I attended a wedding over the weekend. I don't believe that I had been to a wedding in probably four years. That's crazy hard-to-believe, but true (unless you've seen me at a wedding in the past four years. If that's the case, please let me know where you saw me. Thanks!).

I have to admit that I wasn't super-excited going into this weekend. But now that the weekend has passed, my tune has changed. This is the third wedding in which I have been a member of the wedding party, and the first time that I really felt like I played a major part in the festivities (but that doesn't take away from my participation in those other weddings, so participants in those weddings needn't feel slighted by my comments). You see, I'm used to showing up for a rehearsal and a dinner on Friday night. Then on Saturday, being at the church a couple of hours before the ceremony, walking the aisle, and sitting at the head table. But I did more than that this weekend. I played an active role in preparing the reception site for the reception. On Saturday morning. Setting up tables and chairs, and moving stuff.

And I liked it. When I found out 12 hours earlier that I had to do it, I was not at all excited about it. But then I re-discovered something. Helping play a more-active-than-normal role in the biggest day of someone else's life is a great thing. I watched as all sorts of people came together to get things done. Whether they were doing the cooking or the serving of the food, or setting up for the reception, or tearing everything down, it was a community effort. The closest thing I can equate it to is an Amish barn-raising. Everybody shows up to lend a hand to help out someone who needs help. And that was really neat to see. Which made it cool. And made me glad that I could lend a hand.