Bought the Tickets

I believe I mentioned this previously, but I had been dealing with a dilemma: My good friend from college, Jen Taylor, is getting married. Unfortunately, I move so frequently that both the "Save-the-Date" card and the invitation went to my old address, and there is no mail forwarding in England. (The postal service is in huge financial trouble here, but that's another issue).

Anyway, with only two weeks to go before the wedding, I faced a decision: Did I want to spend $645 to fly to Chicago just for the weekend?

On the one hand, this seems patently ridiculous. $645 is a lot of money, I'm facing unemployment, and as most people know at weddings, you barely get to see the bride and groom.

And yet. I have the money (even if I should be watching my pennies these days), and I always try to remember the old adage, "You can't take it with you." On my deathbed, would I be glad to have an extra $645? Or the memories of having made the effort to be there for my friend on her special day? My old flatmate, Jess, said I could share her hotel room, and I could really use the break to just get away for a bit. I always love flying, the feeling of being up in the clouds, removed from all of the worries in the world on the ground.

And then I thought about Jen and Nick, and how they are two of the nicest people I know, a reminder that as many crazy internet dating stories as you might hear, you can also hear theirs, the story of two people who found each other despite everything. Who through the magic of the internet found their life partner, who have hosted me for Halloween parties and dinner, and who have just been stellar people who I want to wish well for their life together.

So with a deep breath, I clicked "purchase". So Jen and Nick will be getting a jar of Marmite as a present, because after making it to their wedding, I don't have any money left. But I think they'll understand, as weddings (particularly as we get older) are more about "presence" than "presents".

But sometimes, you really just want to be there for your friends.