But she had already gained back the ground from her last
fall and had only a few yards left to scale. The chapel was mostly hidden by
overhanging boulders, with just the tip of the steeple jutting out above them. Reaching
the boulders and using what little strength she had left, she attempted to pull
herself up. At last! The bride could see the full chapel only yards in front of
her. Yet she could not seem to muster enough power to bring her body over the
last hurdle for suddenly her feet slipped and were left dangling in the air. She held on for dear life, but her arms were
too exhausted to maintain their grip and she felt them begin to give way.
“No,” she gasped frantically as tears streamed down her
dirty cheeks, “Not when I’ve come this far… not when I’ve come this far!”
Her fingers slipped.
Yet instead of plummeting to her death, the bride felt her
arm grasped by a warm, strong hand that gently pulled her exhausted form over
the last obstacle. The owner of the strong arm slowly placed her on the few
feet of grassy ground between the chapel and the cliff. The hair that covered
the bride’s eyes was softly pulled away to reveal to her… the old usher.
Stroking her hair with his fingers and gazing at her with tear-filled eyes he
whispered, “Well done.”
The bride burst into tears, as all the emotion and strain
from the journey finally hit her tired frame. But the usher merely took her
into his arms and let her cry. After some time he said, “Come, they are waiting
for you.”
“I can’t go in like this,” she said, more tears spilling
over.
“Like this?” was his reply as he raised her to her feet.
“What fault do you find in your appearance?”
The bride looked at him incredulously but then followed his
gaze onto her wedding gown. What surprise awaited her there! No longer was her
dress torn, her limbs dirty, or hands bloody. Where each rent in her gown had
been now was a cluster of diamonds and roses, as though a mist of beauty had
melted together to weld each tear. The dirt and sand merely cleansed and
purified the skin both on her limbs and face, making them clear as cream and
her cheeks soft and rosy. The wind had gently untangled and whisked her hair
into a stunning design, leaving it sprayed delicately with tiny diamonds. The
bride’s lips had been seared to perfection by the sun’s rays, presently having
a natural shade of ruby red.
Looking deeply into her eyes the usher explained, “No longer
are you the plain, simple beauty from before your journey. Along the path you
were purified, refined, and enriched to a deeper level of beauty. Because you
were willing to take that course, one that many scoff at and ridicule, and because
you fought the battle against many obstacles including yourself, your dream to
save the revealing of your beauty for your future husband can now come true. My
child, it is the very glory of your purity and innocence that makes you
stunning.”
Tears and a smile of infinite relief, happiness, and
contentment passed over the face of the bride. The usher gently led her to the
door where he then motioned for her to wait as he brought the
father-of-the-bride. She waited but could not resist the urge to peek into the
room to see her lover. She cracked the door ajar. There he was, standing at the
altar; waiting for her. His back was towards her, but his tall form still sent
a surge of joy to her heart.
“Turn around, my darling,” she whispered, “I want to see
your face.”
As though answering her request, the groom turned around to
face the aisle. But oh! His face was still covered by a stand of pure white
flowers.
“Not yet,” the usher’s voice said as he reached the bride
with her father following behind, “His face will be revealed to you soon.”
“Take my arm, honey,” said the father-of-the-bride.
With a smile of complete and utter happiness, the bride took
her father’s arm and cast a look of infinite gratitude to the usher.
“See, my child” He nodded, while a tear glistened in his soft
eyes, “It is worth it.”
Suddenly the doors swung open, everyone rose to their feet,
and the sweet strains of violin music began to play as the bride took her first
step down the aisle. And then…
I woke up.
