Happy New Year, Everyone!!I think that by the time that this posts most of the world will have gotten their New Years over with. We are currently experiencing a major blizzard...as nice a way to start the new year off as any, I guess. I hope that there aren't too many accidents, and that "The weather outside is frightful..." philosophy takes hold and people don't travel. There could be a big baby boom on September 1st this year, if all goes well.
Me, Princess, Wildstar, and Mykyl had a wild New Year's party, with party hats and dancing. The rest of the dance club was empty, but the four of us really whooped it up. Yup. Party Hats. Ball Room dancing. 80s music.
Yup. Wild party. Yup.
Anyway, you all have read my posts about a HAPPY freakin' New Year, and if you haven't, read them now. Ignorance of the rules is no excuse. I mean it!!!!!
/me forms a storm cloud over his head, and lighting strikes.
/me's hair catches on fire as the lightning bolt conveniently strikes the tallest thing in it's range.
AAAAAGGGGGHHHHHH!!!!!!
/me whimpers for about 5 minutes, burying his head in the snow to put out the fire.
Anyway, I have some exciting news. I, as the head Cleric of Castan, have been asked to officiate at my first Second Life wedding. I immediately said yes. I'm not at liberty to reveal who the couple is, as I don't think they've made an official announcement yet, but I will say that both of them are very good friends of mine and I couldn't be happier about it.
And of course, I, being the angst ridden, do-gooder that I am, have to analyze what the Second Life marriage is and what I want to be able to do for a wedding and what to say.
The Second Life marriage is far more volatile than a real life marriage, if that is possible. There are so many more opportunities to hide things from each other, so many temptations, so little to lose should the marriage explode. I know I can make a meaningful ceremony, but I don't want to waste my time if the participants do not feel the meaning. Am I taking it too seriously? I don't know. What does my readership think?
The commitments, the words spoken, mean something. They are not just babble. They are one of the most serious commitments that the average human will make. I can't do this if it is just a "game" to the either one of parties involved. Whether the god I worship is called Castan or any other name, the principles upheld by what he represents mean a great deal to me. I am far from a perfect representative for him, and I make mistakes, but his are the principles that I hold dear: truth and honor being the most important of them.
And is it hypocrisy that I perform a marriage as a role-play cleric who is in no way qualified, in reality, to do so? A Librarian will marry them, for God's sake.
None of the principles matter too much, I suppose, because I intend to perform the ceremony regardless. I guess that I hope that their answers to certain questions meet with my satisfaction. I am a role-play cleric, but marriage, in Real or Second life, is not role-play. The emotional pain caused by dishonesty or deception is very, very real. Breakups in SL can be just as emotionally traumatic in SL as in RL, and because SL time is at least three times the speed of time, they can hit with particular intensity.
Anyway, I am seriously excited by it. I'll have to do a little research...I want to do it well, but I am really looking forward to it.
Peace out, everyone. And hugs to everyone who needs one or wants one.
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5 comments:
Your readership is supposed to think ?? ... I thought we were just supposed to wander about in a Dazed and Confused state... %).
Huh? What? Marriage? "Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today..." um... hang on... why is that box there? and who's having a nap inside it? Does Castan save you if you're caught "lion"? Aurora wants SNOW but the sky, it isn't falling! Neither are MPF shares, at least not until MPF perform a hostile buyout of LL.
:P
I have wrestled with your questions, but I think that the one about your authority to perform a wedding was answered in your wedding in my palace...
No minister, priest, judge, or even Queene can marry you. Only you can marry yourselves. The essence of the marriage commitment is the taking of another person, in his or her entirety, as lover, companion, and friend - and the giving of yourself in return.
The Speaker of Castan has as much authority to speak these words as does the Queene of Faeria - and he also has the heart to understand that there _is_ meaning in an SL marriage, even if it is not meant to last.
What you are able to do here sir is to touch some others in a positive way - and for at least one day bring a great joy into their lives.
Think hard about the words you say, but do not have any doubts as to your right to do this, or your ability.
"No minister, priest, judge, or even Queene can marry you. Only you can marry yourselves. The essence of the marriage commitment is the taking of another person, in his or her entirety, as lover, companion, and friend - and the giving of yourself in return."
You yourself wrote those words for our RL wedding ceremony. I think they are very meaningful, and place the responsibility for the relationship directly on the bride and groom. They have a circle of friends who love them to draw on in time of need, and they may or may not have the solace of a God or other spiritual force as well, but ultimately the success or failure of the marriage rests squarely on their shoulders, and those are the words that they need to hear to reinforce the significance of the marriage commitment they are about to make. It it not something to be taken lightly, even in SL. It is a pledge of faith and love to another person. To honor them, to love them, to take care of them, for as long as you both shall live.
I know it is a little different in SL, but I still believe that what I said above does for the most part also apply to SL unions. It is not a game. It is not a role-play. It is an emotionally binding ceremony between two people, and the RL people behind them.
It is about trust. Have you been honest with each other about who you really are? If you have not been honest about your marital status (in SL and RL), or your gender, or perhaps your approximate age as well, then how can you knowing make such a pledge to another person? That pledge is based on false or withheld information. How can you live a sincere live with this person?
We must avoid hypocracy. We must strive to live honorable lives. To care for our partners, and our friends. They are "real" even though they are on the other end of a keyboard. We cannot have the respect of others if we do not first have respect of ourselves, and our partners.
I saw this in game Landy was playing last night, "No Pixels were harmed in the making of this game."
For some reason I was thinking of this when I read your concerns about SL weddings and the responses you received.
We may appear to be pixels to each other in this reality but we are more then pixels, role playing actors, actress seeking fantasy or social fulfillment....
We all have imperfections in some way regardless of how fancy our pixel forms may appear.
Our hearts and minds might be great
distances away but our concern for each other in idea world should also remember to harm what is under the pixelated flesh we show others.
OOPs Lag! I missed a important word when I typed, or meant to type:
"We all have imperfections in some way regardless of how fancy our pixel forms may appear.
Our hearts and minds might be great
distances away but our concern for each other in idea world should also remember to CAUSE NO harm what is under the pixelated flesh we show others."
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