“It is an absolute human certainty that no one can know his own beauty or perceive a sense of his own worth until it has been reflected back to him in the mirror of another loving, caring human being.”
― John Joseph Powell, The Secret of Staying in Love

Once upon a time, in a faraway land, I met my Angel Bride.

Even though it’s been the circumstances in my current life that revealed to me that she was my Angel, way back then, I still saw her as my most angelic bride.

It was a normal busy day at work and in walks this adorable girl. I don’t remember all the details of the day, but I remember her saying, “I can’t believe all of this is in Ghana!”….or something like that.

I think we were preparing for a wedding, which was just another day at the office. So there may have been flower arches and more outside. Again, I don’t remember the details. I just remember how I felt. I was tickled, and also determined to make her dreams for her wedding, to the very best of my ability, come true.

She knew exactly what she wanted for her special day. The style of her wedding gown. A full tulle bottom with a one-shoulder bust and a flowers on the one shoulder. No lace, no old-fashioned trimmings. Very “avant-garde” and modern for the times. It didn’t even feel like a challenge. It was a fashion-forward, elegant, and timeless breath of fresh air for me as a designer.

She also asked us to design her wedding. Yellow and white flowers were her choice. She came with her fiance later on to settle the details and I remember thinking to myself, “Aww, they’re so young, and adorable! And obviously in love!”

Even though there was a lot to be done, obviously, this was one of the easiest, the most delightful, the most inspiring, and the most BEAUTIFUL weddings for me. My Angel Bride was so sweet, so kind, and easy to serve and please. Those days I had a wedding possibly every week and I would be lying to you if I told you I could remember all my brides. It’s just one big blur to me now.

But I remembered her. I even had a photograph in my office from her wedding on display. She was the only bride I had in my office and I recall my mother being curious, and asking me why I had chosen only her photograph, out of hundreds of brides to be in my office. I told her that it was because hers was one of the effortless and most delightful weddings for me, and so I kept her picture in my office to serve as inspiration and hope.

Because……..

Bridezillas are a real thing.

She was my hope.

The last time I saw her in Ghana was when she came to have some maternity clothes made. I remember how delighted I was for this adorable little bride of mine. We were not friends. She was simply my most angelic bride.

Fast forward to California. Possibly 10-14 years after the event. I honestly don’t remember. Everything is still such a blur.

I was blogging more back in the day. Those were the early days of Facebook when we were all connecting with long-lost friends and people we thought we would never see ever again in our lives.

One day, I received a shy little message. Someone asking if I remembered her.

My goodness! I knew exactly who it was!!!

It was my Angel Bride.

She had moved to America soon after the last time she came to my atelier to order her maternity clothes. This is why I hadn’t seen her again.

I honestly couldn’t believe it!

We reconnected immediately and now, we are more than friends. She is my sister.

Today is my Angel Bride’s birthday.

I have been an open book here online….beginning with my first blog, then Facebook, then Instagram, and now here. She. Not so much. So it’s my purest of intentions to maintain her privacy while I share my side of this story.

I am SO PROUD of the woman my Angel Bride has become.

Her family….her BEAUTIFUL HUSBAND and her BEAUTIFUL CHILDREN.

Her BEAUTIFUL home and garden.

Her career.

Her accomplishments.

Her heart…..oh her heart.

This heart is courageous and strong, strong enough to be warm, soft, gentle, tender, and kind.

Her BEAUTY. Inside. Outside. And all around her, in every possible sense of the word.

It’s Easter Monday today and amidst all the beautiful Spring flowers and chocolate eggs and bunnies, I have more on my mind and in my heart.

I am thinking about Jesus Christ dying on the cross. To be very honest with you, this is not a thought I often have. In this moment, as I write about my Angel Bride, I am thinking of deservedness and worthiness.

This woman….the one who I saw as this little girl getting married….this woman…..the woman she has become.

This woman has been so kind to me.

So good to me.

So gracious towards me.

Hence my thoughts of Jesus Christ dying for our sins. The idea and ideal, that through Him and because of Him, we become worthy.

I wonder. Everyday.

I am not, and have not been, and cannot be worthy of the kindness I have received from my Angel Bride in this season of my life, and this is why I am thinking about the love of God through Jesus Christ his son.

I feel I am experiencing, what could be, the unconditional love of God through my Angel bride in this season of my life.

This is not about flattery. Flattery will get me nowhere and it is not required.

It’s not even about gratitude and appreciation. My thank yous will never be enough.

This is about AWE. Truly and honestly. I am simply in awe of the kindness, love, understanding, and GRACE that has been shown towards me by my Angel Bride in this season of my life.

A blurred, amoebic, what feels like a formless, almost helpless, confused, unreal season of my life. A season where I feel like nobody, she looks at me and makes me feel like I am somebody. I wish I had more words to express this, but it’s all I have.

Such kindness and compassion have been shown toward me and every day, in every moment, I am in awe.

I have determined that I am experiencing the Grace of God and the love of God through her. Because, on a normal day, I struggle to find this love.

This is why.

She is my Angel Bride.

Happy Birthday to you my sister, my friend, my ray of sunshine in the storm, my beacon of grace, kindness, and God’s love.

I love you.

I am so grateful for you.

I am in awe of you.

And I wish for you, all that you wish for yourself, your family and so much more.

Love Always,

Aphrodite.