The Peace Pipe and Other Strange Traditions

38 days from now, the members of my family, along with the members of my fiance's family will gather together in our city for a good will summit as we will be uniting these 2 families in holy matrimony.

As is typical in cross-cultural relationships, each of us periodically discovers a value or a custom of the other's culture that just boggles the mind. This time it was his turn. It has to do with this custom of the rehearsal dinner....which, in our case, has slowly evolved into a more initmate lunch, hosted just for the family.

It's difficult for him to grasp why on earth we'd have a lunch for all these people when they'll see each other the very next day at the wedding. In some ways, he has a point. My family could be riddled with jetlag. His family could be overtaken by the road rage that will surface as they drive through the crazy city traffic to make it to lunch on time.

Could it be that the idea of the rehearsal dinner is a modern equivalent to the smoking of the peace pipe? Two clans meeting together...participating in a pleasant, socially-acceptable ritual, in this case: eating...taking the initiative to express goodwill toward one another...celebrating a major milestone in the lives of their children...

Peace pipe or no peace pipe, my hope is that it will be a time to appreciate and bless our families as well as an extra opportunity to practice those strange names and to grow more accustomed to the Pictionary/Charades sessions that become a normal part of cross-cultural life.

By the way, the restaurant just called back to confirm our tables. They said we'd be in the non-smoking section. That in itself will bring plenty of peace for me!

Meet the Parents....