A bride was extremely nervous on her wedding day. Her hands were shaking, her heart was racing, and she felt like she might faint before even reaching the church door.
So before the ceremony started, she went to speak with the priest.
“Father,” she said, “I’m so nervous I can barely breathe. What if I trip? What if I forget what to do? What if I panic in front of everyone?”
The priest smiled kindly and said, “Relax, my child. Weddings can be overwhelming, but I’ll give you a very simple trick to help you stay calm.”
The bride looked hopeful. “Really? What should I do?”
The priest said, “Just focus on three things while walking down the aisle. Take it step by step.”
“First,” he said, “look at the aisle as you walk forward. That will keep you focused.”
“Second, when you get closer, look at the altar, where your groom will be waiting for you.”
“And third,” he continued, “listen to the hymn that will be playing during the ceremony. Just think about those three words: aisle, altar, hymn. Repeat them in your head and it will calm your nerves.”
The bride thanked him and felt much better.
Soon the ceremony began. The music started, the doors opened, and everyone stood as the bride slowly walked down the aisle in her beautiful dress.
Everything looked perfect.
But as she walked toward the front, several guests sitting in the front rows noticed something strange.
The bride was quietly whispering to herself over and over again.
“Aisle… altar… hymn… aisle… altar… hymn… aisle… altar… hymn…”
Some guests looked confused. Others tried not to laugh.
One of the bridesmaids leaned toward another and whispered,
“I think the priest told her something to help her stay calm.”
The other bridesmaid nodded and said,
“Yeah… but if you say it quickly, it sounds like she’s saying…”
“I’ll alter him… I’ll alter him… I’ll alter him.”