While out one day a couple months ago I noticed this young couple sitting in Fountain Park in Franklin just sharing a moment together. I tried to figure out how to make a real picture of them without freaking them out that there is a stranger with a camera pointing it at them. I sorta hovered for awhile hoping to eventually just blend and grab a real moment of a kiss or just a look at each other. They seemed in love and I wanted to capture that as real as I could. My stealthiness is not so good--perhaps its the large cameras i have or perhaps I'm just not good at that sort of blending into the woodwork.
I eventually approached them and had a nice conversation and explained who I was and what I do and they seemed fine with telling me a little about their story. Shyenn had graduated only a couple days earlier from Rocky Grove High and they had decided to get married. They were in the park just moments after filing their paperwork for a marriage certificate.
They have been gracious enough to stay in contact with me and I mentioned wanting to come to their wedding ceremony and they agreed.
That was today
He is young, but he is a man.
In order to join the military he was told that a certain fashionable 'statement' he has made over the years would not float in the military. Many young people are piercing their ears and expanding the holes in something called a gauge(I admit to know even less about this--i still haven't even gotten a tattoo or any piercing for that matter.) So in the last few weeks he has undergone some painful surgery in order to close up the gauge holes so that he can now enlist.
On this day today, before his wedding in front of a district judge, he was filling out paperwork to join the army.
I'm not sure if I expressed that right......
They will and do have a support system that I witnessed today, but there is no question that if they are to pull this off it is because they know full-well that they have to do this according to their need for each other.
Earlier I mentioned how I didn't think they were just flying into this blind. If you sit down with them they have thought out what they want to do and how they want to go about it. Braiden is committed to his country and his beliefs and is going about setting in motion a military life in order to provide and care for Shyenn and perhaps a future family. I have also been impressed with these two because in their plans I don't believe they have really mentioned children yet--which is usually a reason young people get married or want to be married.
I have such hope for this beautiful young couple but I am also afraid for them and all the difficulties of a hard world ahead. I am impressed with them and with Braiden's ability to think rationally and speak his mind clearly and he just seems determined to get this thing called life right. Shyenn is so sweet and has an optimism few possess and I think this combination is recipe for a successful life together.
I sure hope so.
There will be bumps and there will times where they will be scared and lost and feel alone against the world, but if they keep their love---their commitment to each other and work through everything----well I see them someday celebrating their 25th wedding anniversary too!
I don't want to be cynical about young love in this world and I am hopeful these two beautiful people help me grow the hope of love even further into the future. So far they have done just that. Congrats Shyenn and Braiden. I am proud to have been a part of this today!