A Wedding Dream or Nightmare? (Joanne’s response)
Walking down the aisle in a wedding is an act that symbolizes leaving the past and cleaving to the future. Keep in mind that leaving the past behind does not mean forgetting it or the people in it -- it means the past no longer determines your future. Ironically, if Celia had asked one or both of her parents to walk her down the aisle, her father might not have been compelled into this attention-getting ploy. Her declaration of independence, which was a good choice for Celia that I support, has complicated moving forward -- even the ceremony has been held up! Her father might have felt, probably unconsciously, that the past and his role had not yet been appropriately acknowledged. One of the most critical decisions Celia can make at this juncture as she stands with Rob and holds his hand is that, regardless of what happens from here on within her family of origin, she will not allow the pull of family history to prevent her from prioritizing Rob and their marriage, regardless of how her family may react.
