From Kerala to Houston

My parents’ wedding was a special event.

Like many Syro Malabar Catholics, they held the ceremony in my father’s parish, St. Mary’s Forane Church in Poonjar, Kerala, India. Over 200 people, including family, friends, and neighbors from the bride and groom’s sides were there to witness the marriage of my parents.

In the second image, I am holding the picture over one of my mom’s saris. I thought it was a bit endearing that it is an image of the hand of their only daughter holding a picture of them on their wedding day. They had an arranged marriage and had only met each other just two weeks before the ceremony.

I wonder if they knew that they would not stay in India but they would both move to the States eight years after being married and raise a child there. I wonder if they knew that they would have to call the US their home for over 20 years and still call India their homeland. I wonder if they knew that even after finding their home at the very edge of West Texas in El Paso, they would have to move almost 1,000 miles across the state to live in Houston. There are so many things that I wonder if they could have ever imagined happening to them as a couple once they left the altar.

These photos are very special to me.

Joshlyn Thomas, SAYHU Cohort One