Royal Wedding vs. Royal Grump

I have to admit, I was not one who was waiting breathlessly for the Royal Wedding.  However, as life would have it, I woke up on Friday at 3:30 am and thought, “What the hell? Why not turn it on?”  And….then…I was hooked.  The beauty, the pageantry, and, yes, the fairy tale…it was awesome!  And it really did look – from what looks can tell you – that William and Kate really do love one another and the beauty of their love did shine through.   The dress was amazing and those hats!!??!!  I DVR’d the event and must admit to watching the wedding and the kiss more than once.  I loved the sermon from the Dean of Westminster Abbey which included the prayer that was composed by the Royal Couple.  I also noticed, with great joy, that Kate did not vow to obey.  Since I don’t believe anyone should obey anything but their best spirit, it was perfect as far as I was concerned.

The next morning, I was reading USA Today and happened upon an interview with Dan Rather in which he expressed his anger over all the time and resources that were spent on The Wedding.  How could the news agencies, with all the troubles in the world, give so much time to The Wedding.  Well, Mr. Rather, you seem to have joined the ranks  of that cantankerous group of curmudgeons knows as “Grumpy Old Men” since you have retired. 

We are all very aware of the awful things in the world.  We have 365 days, 24/7 of the problems we face and we can find it on hundreds of channels, websites, blogs and tweets.  From my perspective, there is good reason to take a “depression and hate holiday”, and for one day watch and be a part of something that so obviously symbolizes love.  Sure it also symbolizes a lifestyle that none of us will ever know, but that we can all—for just a moment—take pleasure in pretending.

As I sit in my living room, still bald from radiation, it was wonderful to see Kate’s beauty and imagine what it was like to be her…to have the future king look into my eyes with love, admiration and respect and take me as his bride.  It was fun to see the amazing cars and carriages and horses and imagine that I was giving that royal wave to all my “well wishers”.  In other words, is was nice to escape for one day into love, peace, grandeur, ceremony and pageantry.

Besides, the next day, it all came rushing back.  Life doesn’t let us pretend for long.  The killing, death and destruction were waiting to rush back like the tsunami’s wall of water and ruin our communal psyche once again.  My MRI awaits me tomorrow to tell me if I have more months of life or if the tumors have returned to wreak havoc on an already damaged brain.  So Mister Rather, we are back focusing on the misery you seem to feel is so important for all of us to dwell on.

But I have learned that you get what you think about - at least in the emotional sense.  I have incredible prosperity in my life which does not look like jewels and palaces but sustains me with love every day.  I have friends and family who love me with every bit of the intensity that I saw in the eyes of the Royal Couple. I have pageantry, as 5 days a week we open up our little business that attracts some of the most amazing people in the region and they drive their carriages right up to the front door. 

I do understand that part of Mr. Rather’s comments reflect the lament that many of his peers and fellow workers are losing their jobs in the traditional media.  His belief seems to be that it is because we waste valuable assets to cover frivolity.  It just may be that if we covered more good news, more life sustaining events, that people would tune back in.  2 billion people around the world tuned in on Friday – from Afghanistan to Africa, from all of Europe to Euclid, Ohio.  The people have voted, Mr. Rather.  Love wins!!