The celebrant’s paradox

I love words. Sometimes I find myself rolling tasty words around in my mouth just for the pleasure of what it feels like to say them in different ways. Weird, I know. One of my many favourites is ‘paradox’ - which I understand to be a pair of seemingly contradictory truths. I’ve been nibbling on a juicy paradox recently that’s all about my work as a celebrant. I know that in order to reach couples who might want to use my services, I need to promote my business and essentially sell myself. At the same time, when I’m actually doing the work of a celebrant I’m not aiming to stand out at all. It’s central to my approach that it’s not about me - it’s about the couple. I want to amplify their voices, showcase their beautiful story, celebrate their love and commitment and draw their guests into sharing in that happy mission. It’s not exactly that I want to disappear, it’s more that the last thing I want to do is pull focus onto myself. I’ve had some lovely feedback about my ability to create and hold still, calm moments, when that’s what the couple need. A reassuring smile and a few beats of compassionate, loving silence can work wonders. Especially when nerves are going into overdrive. So maybe there’s not really a paradox here - knowing when to to step forward and when to step to the side are both part of the job.

Really?