The Outside World

As maid of honor for my sister's wedding, I'm expected to get up at least once and say a few words of congratulations for the new couple and raise a glass. The only thing I've been able to come up with toward this end has involved the words, "as demonstrated by post-modernist researchers," and the paragraph, "It has been argued by contemporary practitioners that any attempt to explain or describe art through any medium other than the art itself compromises the pure effect of the artwork--even carefully researched analysis contributes to preconceptions that redirect or impair direct communication of the art with the observer. Much to this effect holds true for love--pure love cannot be explained, charted, or adequately described, and indeed, any attempt to describe the fullness of love to anyone not feeling that love itself falls so short of the mark as to make a mockery of it--and with it, oneself."

Unfortunately I've been back in acadæmia long enough that I can't quite remember how to make an unquantified or at the very least un-cited statement. If anyone has any ideas for how to format or phrase a light, joyful, seemingly-off-the-cuff speech or toast for a big family gathering, i'd love to hear suggestions.

Gracias.