The young bridegroom stood at the front of the altar, glancing repeatedly at the back of the church.

His beautiful bride waited in the vestibule of the church, her father next to her, as they prepared to take the walk from childhood to adulthood.

My 26-year-old niece, Anna, married her long-time beau, Michael, this past weekend. The church was filled with family and friends who watched these two young adults pledge themselves to each other for the rest of their lives.

It’s not easy making a vow of that magnitude, especially in a world where we “unfriend” people on Facebook at the drop of a hat and people tweet their innermost thoughts to the world, promises and thoughts which are forgotten within the hour.

We’ve evolved into a throw-away and short-term society that believes tossing something outdated or broken is easier than the time and effort required to maintain it.

Few people keep a vehicle past 100,000 miles, preferring to trade in the old reliable sedan for a newer, fancier model.

When the microwave refuses to heat up Honey Buns or the coffee maker runs too slow, we don’t look for a repair shop – we buy a new one and toss the broken appliance. Manufacturers know this so they don’t make long-lasting machines.

When our 25-year-old freezer finally gave up the ghost and I asked to buy another one that would last that long, the salesperson told me they don’t make appliances like that anymore. He said a five-year lifespan was about all I could hope for.

So it’s come to that.

Five years is considered a lifetime. 

So to think two young people in their mid 20s would pledge to stay together for the rest of their lives is almost unrealistic. Until you take into account the character of Anna and Michael.

Over the years of their courtship, they worked to build a solid foundation for a life together. They talked, planned, laughed, cried and prayed and finally decided they were ready to pledge their lives to each other.

Michael and Anna were married in front of family and friends during a full Mass, and their reception was a joyous mixing of the Wahl and the Hebert families.  

Over the course of the night, the hall was filled with people dancing, laughing and toasting the happy couple. Grandchildren sat on their grandparents’ laps as relatives reconnected, sharing stories of past family gatherings and missing those who were no longer with us.

I looked around the hall, realizing people had traveled from all over the country to attend the wedding. Perhaps that’s the soundest show of support for newlyweds – families and friends making it a priority to witness the biggest promise one can make in life. 

Michael and Anna didn’t have to look far to see how a promise can come full circle. Our Aunt Bev and Uncle Jim flew in from New York to see Michael and Anna take their vows the same week they celebrated their 49th wedding anniversary.

In addition, my sister and her husband quietly renewed their wedding vows right after the ceremony. Twenty-five years ago, Donna and Jimmy were married by the same priest who married Michael and Anna.

Donna and Jimmy’s grown children witnessed the blessing of their union, just as we did when their parents were in their 20’s, two kids starting out with a promise to love and honor each other for the rest of their lives.

A promise and a prayer. Two intangibles that last a lifetime.

This column was originally published in The Fort Bend Herald.