A young bride was extremely anxious on the day before her wedding. The priest realized she was nervous, and he asked her about it.
"I'm going to make a mess of the whole thing," she said. "There are just so many people looking at me!"
The priest broke the ceremony down into small parts. "Hey," he said. "This is your church, your family's church. You know everything about this church. So, as your dad takes you by the arm, concentrate on the aisle. Just focus on the aisle."
"OK," she said.
"Then, as you turn the corner, you'll see the altar. It's the same altar that's been here for years, and you're familiar with it. Focus on the aisle, and then the altar."
"OK," she said.
"And then," said the priest, "you'll see your groom! Just focus on him, and you're there! Focus on the aisle first, altar second, and him third!"
So, just as she'd been promised, she zoned in on the three simple steps. But imagine her Dad's feelings when he heard her saying it over and over and over, as they got closer and closer and closer . . . "Aisle, altar, him. Aisle-altar-him. Aisle-alter him!"
