There are experiences that are memorable and those that are truly transformative. This weekend was one such transformative experience. I had the honor of officiating my daughter's birthmother's wedding. I will never forget this weekend, especially when the bride walked in to Taylor Swift’s “Love Story,” one of my daughter’s favorite songs.

In Human Design, the Sun passes through the 64 gates annually, spending about 5 ½ days per gate. This weekend the Sun was in Gate 35. The gate of Change & Progress. The Gate of diverse experiences. Those with this gate in their chart want to feel progress and desire lots of different experiences. And they also have a gift for sharing the emotional depths gathered from these experiences with those around them. 

Interestingly, my Earth gate is Gate 35. Discovering that the Sun aligned with this gate during the wedding struck me as significant and marked another beautiful milestone in my personal and coaching journey.

This journey towards officiating this wedding started last August when I signed up to be ordained online. The couple chose the same chapel for their wedding where my husband and I were married almost 20 years ago (it will be 20 years in September).

One of the greatest lessons of this entire experience was the importance of being fully present. During the first part of the ceremony, I noticed I was not completely grounded. I could see everyone and hear my voice but I needed to reconnect quickly. When the bride’s father read a few love poems, I felt myself breathe and come back into my body, which allowed me to fully witness the bride and groom. 

It wasn’t until after the ceremony it struck me what a truly unique perspective I had. I saw the looks they gave each other, the slight quiver of a cheek as they tried to hold in tears, and the wiggle of putting on each other’s rings. It was a view that only I had the privilege of experiencing. And it was truly special!

I felt tears come as soon as I was walking down the aisle towards the back of the chapel. It really hit me the profound honor of officiating a wedding for a very special woman in our lives. The tears came hard and fast as I was standing in the hallway outside of the chapel with the bride’s parents.

These moments remind us of the importance of being present for each other during life’s significant moments, both big and small.

Are there moments in your life that you are noticing you’re not fully present? 

How can you slow down to embrace those moments and be more present? 

Taking a breath, feeling your feet on the floor or ground, can help shift your focus from your thoughts to the current moment.