[ti:]

[ar:]

[al:]

[by:]

UNIT1

In Another World

Here I am, in China,

half way around the world

from home. As I look

at my clock and

calculate the time back home

I realize that half

a world away, people are busy

getting ready for a wedding.

The bride is my niece,

a person I first met

when she was three days old.

I think back to

the first time I had

the opportunity to become acquainted

with my niece. As my sister

cradled her in her arms,

the infant girl clasped

her mother's outstretched finger.

My intuition told me that

her temperament would be

a sunny disposition, a joy

to people around her.

As she grew, the cute

little girl had an infectious

laugh that started as

a small grin, then became

a giggle and grew louder

and louder until it triggered

a response from all the people

around her and they joined in.

As an adolescent, she studied

hard and enjoyed welldeserved

success in secondary school

as she interacted

with her peer group.

After receiving her high

school diploma, she chose

nursing as her career.

From the beginning of

the young couples romance

it was evident that

they were compatible and were

completely intrigued with each other.

The couple had an

engagement party when I

was at home in Canada

a few months ago.

The party was in the form

of a picnic in a beautiful

rose garden. To celebrate

and to toast their future,

we drank champagne. As they

posed under an arch

covered with climbing roses,we snapped

pictures for their photo album.

The couple decided on

a fall wedding. Plans for

the wedding day were activated immediately.

The decisions about the forthcoming event

were shared by the whole family.

A close friend of the family

was contacted and invited

to sing a solo just

prior to the ceremony.

The day before the ceremony,

a rehearsal would take place

so that the remainder of

the details could be

looked after and attended to.

The planning that takes place

beforehand for one of these events

and all the work

that the big day entails,

with many people collaborating

to make the event run smoothly,

are immense. The conscientious attention

to detail will be evident

to the spectators of this event.

I can imagine the excitement

and emotions of the family today.

The time is near.

The ceremony will begin

in 3 short hours.

The bride will be radiant

as she comes down the aisle

escorted by her father.

She will wear her

grandmother's pearls as an accessory.

Her veil will be

the same one as

her cousin wore last year.

As is customary, under her garments

she will wear a blue  garter.

As part of the tradition

of Canadian weddings, she will

be wearing something old (the pearls),

something new (her gown),

something borrowed (the veil)

and something blue (the garter).

As the first chords of

the wedding march are played

(a melody familiar to all),

the  congregation will rise.

Gasps will be heard

as they catch a glimpse

of the bride in

her gorgeous wedding gown.

The mother of the bride

will calmly view this whole event,

though tears will blur her vision.

She will be overcome

with sentiment at her

daughter's apparent happiness.

The picture will be one

that will embody hope

for the future of humanity.