the night we met
published on stereo stories


A wave of serenity filled the air. The hours before were rushed – full of chaos and haste. But for this moment, everything was still. It seemed like the moment lasted forever, and seconds all at once.

The stillness in the room broke and with the first resounding harmonized ‘oooo’ from Lord Huron. It was hauntingly beautiful. Tears of elation flowed from my eyes and delicate snowflakes fell from the sky outside. I could sense the collective anticipation of those waiting downstairs, as the song filled my childhood home. I forced my body to move, not because of doubt, but disbelief that this day had eventuated. We had finally made it.

The candlelit stairs awaited me, lighting a path towards the rest of my life. My misty eyes made it difficult to see, but he was in my sight and I knew where I was headed.

As the harmonies continued, I glimpsed at the faces fixated on me, but they all blurred together.

While the last ‘oooo’ echoed through the air, I reached my destination, and everything became still once again.

The celebrant spoke, but I didn’t hear a word. I fell into a trance, absorbing every once-in-a-lifetime second. I looked into his eyes, and I was taken back to the night we met. The night we knew that this was it. My gaze broke with the song of our loved ones in celebration. The rest of our lives ahead of us.

As we grow older (and eventually frail), the possibility of  living a life without Mitchell may become a reality. But I would still have this moment. And I would still remember the night we met.


Copyright ©  Samantha Lee Curran 2024. All rights reserved

















I acknowledge the Traditional Owners of the land where I work and live, the Dharug and Gundungurra peoples of Gadigal land, and pay my respects to Elders past and present. I celebrate the stories, culture and traditions of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Elders of all communities who also work and live on this land.