It is Thanksgiving and I am waxing nostalgic as we are snow bound at home. Sunny and cold out today with the winter wonderland outside glistening, good for a walk to remember. Perhaps you were with us…

It was Thanksgiving 1972. And I am borrowing (without permission so I guess that is stealing) from an essay written by Jane’s Dad, Larry Dillon, two days later. The ceremony was scheduled at dawn. As we drove in darkness through the forest of pines it was raining, hard for the Northwest, and it was chilly. Just to the north were the snow capped Olympic mountains overlooking vast areas of untouched forests – the last area in the nation that remains as it was when man first arrived. One could only think this is as pure and majestic and as calm as the world will ever be again and it is a good day for a marriage. Janie had told me when I questioned her about the early hour “Our friends will be there” and they were. The small church was filled and many were standing perhaps a hundred friends had come to join their celebration. The friends were kindred spirits, symbolic beards, long hair, beads, long dresses and the always present jeans. Twink (Jane’s sister) was there – she had come from London, hitched hiked from New York across the southern route through Texas, Arizona, New Mexico (that would be about Route 66) and finally for forty-eight straight hours up the west coast to arrive in Seattle at 4:00 am the day before – to be at “the wedding.” It had a strange magic. Both Jane and John wore long robes with hoods and could have been first century Christians. Twink had sent Joe (Jane’s brother) a similar robe from Morocco and he wore it as he lit the alter candles to initiate the ceremony. He liked that. Basically the ceremony was one that John and Jane had compiled and was extremely simple. John’s brother (Jim) sang the Lord’s Prayer, the marriage vows were read by a Methodist minister and communion of the congregation was performed. This consisted of the entire congregation standing, joining hands in a large irregular circle, rather difficult in this small church, and repeating certain spiritual requests at the direction of a female minister of (Millie Purdue) “Unity.” As it all ended, in a atmosphere of general spiritual awareness I felt the marriage had been celebrated in a manner certainly fitting the personalities of these two people, serene, spiritual and simple. I looked out the huge east window across the wet green farmland toward an invisible Mt. Rainier and the equally invisible sun and knew it had dawned as scheduled; because we believe in the sun even when it rains.

For the many friends who came I was delighted and celebrated and still celebrate their friendship and love. For the family and relatives that came I apologized, I don’t know how many times over the years for having our wedding at such an ungodly hour and on Thanksgiving day. But now, after looking at pictures in our album and reading and re-reading and then writing out these words from Larry I am warmed to the core and so happy we did what we did. And after all these years, who would have thunk…. that Jane would put up with all my zaniness and crazy ways, that we are still together. And you are together with us as well.

Now we are planning and scheming how we can cross country ski into town to a restaurant on the waterfront for dinner.

So much to be thankful for. Friends, Family, many adventures, mountains, hiking, sharing silence and so much more. I know this sounds hurried as I don’t have time to sit with it and re-read it over and over to smooth it out as I must get it off to you before Jane finds me out or I change my mind. But one thing I won’t change my mind about is how thankful I am for life, for love and for you in my life.

Happy Thanksgiving, John