one hundred thirty-nine

I received a manila envelope in the mail yesterday. The label was nondescript. The package was thin. I opened the envelope and found a white USPS envelope inside, a bit flimsier that the outer covering.

I opened the white envelope and found the sheet music I'd waited so long to order. The book was thinner, simpler than I was expecting–especially for the cost. I'd managed to order Amazon's last copy, the only one I could find in the U.S. I think it's worth it. (That's not to say it isn't worth reselling after the wedding, though...)

Le fabuleux destin d'Amélie Poulain was the first French film that Joe and I watched together. He knew that I would love it. I did because Audrey Tautou is perfect, Jean-Pierre Jeunet is a film-making genius and Yann Tiersen is my favorite French musician of all time. I watched it and began to fall in love with Joe–admittedly, I didn't really know what that meant at the time.

The music has come to mean so many things to us. It was what we were both listening to when I was in the air on my way to France and he was returning to Muncie. It is what I still listen to when I miss him so much that I can't get out of bed.

The music sounds like me falling into his arms, which for the past to years has always been a kind of sadness for me, whether it's a hug of anticipation when he arrives at my door for a weekend visit or it the desperate goodbye when we drive away for another month.

I wanted this music to play when the ceremony begins, and I walk toward him, and our lives officially start together. When, for the first time, we hug without thinking about any sort of goodbye.

So here it is. Joe doesn't know (I don't think), and he never reads my blogs. So, if I'm right in thinking that I haven't told him and if he doesn't check this blog, it could be a lovely sort of surprise. That's my bit of a hint to say, "Maybe watch this video and don't mention it to Joe."

The song is actually only about 2.5 minutes, so when you get to the silence and the characters kiss, you've heard it all. It just sort of begins again for a bit. I picked this video because it has some great shots from the movie that show things I love about Amélie.