It's not that I think weddings - or marriages - are letdowns.
It's not that I think weddings - or marriages - are letdowns. It's just that I want to see my wedding as one awesome achievement on a continuum of achievements, all of which were, in their way, just as beautiful and profound for having led me to the current one.
In the words of Jessi Klein—“It's not that I think weddings—or marriages—are letdowns. It's just that I want to see my wedding as one awesome achievement on a continuum of achievements, all of which were, in their way, just as beautiful and profound for having led me to the current one.”—there shines a wisdom often lost in the clamor of ceremony. She teaches that a wedding is not the summit of life, but one mountain in a long chain, each peak and valley carrying its own majesty. To honor it rightly is to see it not as an isolated triumph, but as part of a journey woven with many profound steps.
The ancients, too, saw life as a continuum of achievements, not a single moment of glory. Odysseus was not defined only by the fall of Troy, but by the countless trials of his voyage—the sirens, the cyclops, the storms—that each shaped his destiny. So too, Klein reminds us that the beauty of a wedding lies not only in the day itself, but in all the loves, lessons, and struggles that preceded it, each one necessary for the moment to bloom.
Her words resist the temptation of finality. Too often, society crowns the wedding as the pinnacle, as though nothing greater or more meaningful can follow. Yet Klein calls us to humility: the profound does not end with vows, but continues in the daily labor of love, in the victories of parenthood, in the quiet strength of companionship through hardship. The wedding is not an ending, but a glorious link in a chain that stretches across the span of a life.
History bears witness to this truth. Marcus Aurelius, though emperor, did not consider his crowning moment the seat of power, but the daily discipline of ruling wisely, of holding fast to virtue in small and great matters alike. His reign, like a marriage, was not defined by a single event, but by the continuous thread of effort and reflection. Klein echoes this same spirit: to find meaning in each step, not only the celebrated ones.
Thus, let this wisdom endure: a wedding is sacred, but so too are the countless acts, large and small, that prepare and follow it. To see it as part of a continuum is to free oneself from disappointment and to embrace the fullness of life as a tapestry of achievements, each profound in its own season. For the beauty of the present is born from the triumphs of the past and becomes the foundation for triumphs yet to come.
KNNguyen Thi Kim Nguyen
There’s a quiet wisdom in this quote that really resonates. It acknowledges that life’s meaning is cumulative, not confined to one grand event. It makes me think about how we often expect certain milestones—like marriage—to complete us, when in fact, they’re just part of our growth. Perhaps true contentment is recognizing that beauty exists in every stage, not just the celebrated ones.
PDPhuc Duy
I love the balance of realism and gratitude here. She’s not rejecting marriage, just placing it in its rightful place among life’s other experiences. That feels empowering. It also raises a question: do we sometimes lose appreciation for earlier accomplishments once we reach a new one? Maybe fulfillment comes from remembering that every past version of ourselves was already enough.
YTYen Thanh
This reflection challenges the cultural obsession with 'milestones.' Weddings are often treated like trophies, but Jessi’s words remind us that meaning comes from the process, not the event itself. It makes me think about how society pressures people to treat certain life moments as defining. What if every chapter, no matter how small, is already an achievement worth honoring?
HGNguyen Tran Huong Giang
What stands out to me is how she frames her wedding not as an ending, but as a continuation. It’s such a humble and wise way to think about success. I wonder how different our expectations of marriage would be if more people saw it as part of an ongoing story instead of the ‘happily ever after’ moment we’re taught to chase.
HNHoang Hai Nam
This quote feels deeply mature. It doesn’t dismiss marriage but puts it in context, as one of many meaningful experiences. I like that she celebrates every step that led to it. It makes me think about how people sometimes overlook the value of the journey—the heartbreaks, the self-discovery, the growth—that makes love possible in the first place. Maybe that’s where real beauty lies.