Good things come to those who wait. Well, that was certainly true tenfold and then some for us Ryan and Gillian fans when at last on the anniversary of their first marriage and using their original wedding rings, they became husband and wife again in front of their family and close friends at the chapel in Wildwind.
Was there ever a more stunning bride than Gillian in her great grandmother's wedding gown which was the most equisite wedding dress I have ever seen any bride wear on screen or in real life?! Was there ever a more handsome groom than Ryan who had fought as hard as he could to get back the woman he has always thought of as his wife anyway? Absolutely not in both cases.
Alex, Dimitri, and Edmund together with help from Eugenia and Laura and lots of 'elves' put together this surprise wedding for the young couple in the hopes of starting them off on their new life together. Where Ryan and Gillian thought they were just going to elope at City Hall since they had no money, they were completely caught off guard as their loved ones planned and carried out the orthadox ceremony and family terrace reception for them- even flying in the family priest and Gillian's cousins from Hungary for the event.
How beautiful and spriitual it all was and how romantic and sentimental and funny with unique Hungarian wedding traditon such as when Gillian's cousins offered a baby lamb for the couple in order to win a dance with the bride and tearjerking moments such as when everyone rose to offer flowers and blessings to the couple and Ryan kneeled before Gillian's beloved Grandmama Eugenia(his, too again now) and kissed her hands in deep love and respect.
But, of course weddings are all about love and the joining of two souls who in fact are really one, so no moment could top the beatiful words Ryan and Gillian said to each other during their vows. As we think back to the long road that brought them here and the many times we never thought this day would come around, their vows echo in our own hearts as we celebrated this day with them. As we watched them dance their first dance as Mr. and Mrs. Lavery, we toasted them in spirit and watched as they held each other close and fall in love all over again and we fell in love with them all over again. True lovers' chemistry can't be purchased, it just has to be there and for Ryan and Gillian, it was all around them. Didn't we all breath a sigh of relieve as they were finally joined in matrimony?
The cornerstone of soaps is not the action or the adventure. At its heart is always the love story. The couple has to endure the tragedy and separation first and then the struggle to find their way back together, but when they do, moments like these make it all worth the wait. A soap wedding should never fail to pull its audience into its dream and beauty and as a true long time Ryan and Gillian fan, I can say that it was a magic moment for me that I'll never forget.
Congratulations Gillian and Ryan Lavery!
Before I get to what I see as the positives of Ryan Lavery a.k.a. Cameron Mathison's return to All My Children, I first have to address an issue that
has been plaguing my mind for weeks. Why on earth is Ryan acting like he hurt Greenlee so deeply back when they were obsessing each other. If I remember correctly (and I know I do), Greenlee is the one who screwed with Ryan's life.
She is the one who lied to Gillian about the depth of her relationship with Ryan. She is the one who kept them apart. Without her meddling, Gillian might
not have ever married Jake. Don't get me wrong, I adore Greenlee, now, but it just irks me so much that this is the way they are writing these two characters relationship at the moment. Atleast this one particular aspect of it.
Now, onto the main purpose of this editorial: Ryan Lavery's return.
Overall, I have been very pleased with Mr. Lavery's return. At first, I was opposed to the idea of Cameron returning to reprise his role. It is really hard
for me to see Ryan without Gillian. Nevertheless, I have been very pleased with Ryan's character and personality since his return: His cockiness and
attitude in general has been fun to watch. The most important thing about Ryan's return to Pine Valley is his still continuous connection to Gillian. Since the
beginning of his return, Gillian has been a constant theme, her name being dropped all over the place, from when Edmund introduced Ryan to Maria as
to Gillian to Ryan telling Edmund he could not stay at Wildwind because there are too many memories of Gillian there. The most difficult thing about watching
AMC after Esta left was how after awhile it seemed as if Ryan didn't even care Gillian was dead anymore, like he didn't even miss her. Greenlee even recently mentioned this to Ryan in the boathouse: You seemed to move on pretty quickly when you lost Gillian. Ryan was quick to correct Greenlee in her assumption, and I have not gotten the impression since his return that Ryan has forgotten Gillian, misses her any less, or does not believe she is the one great love of his life. Ryan told Greenlee in relation to Leo that he knew what It's like to lose someone you love that deeply. Ryan's cocky attitude is how I would expect this man to act after losing the love of his life, and he has
demonstrated this disposition to the fullest since his return. He has clearly demonstrated that Gillian was his soulmate and that it is nearly impossible to
go on without her.
Beyond his relationship with Gillian, I am enjoying Ryan's return in more ways I love that he is now the big shot in town. I love that he could careless about Kendall (don't get me started on that whole Sinsignificant relationship). I have enjoyed his interaction with Greenlee in trying to get her to move on after losing Leo (even though I'm not sure if I'm ready for her to move on, myself). I like how he sought out Edmund to be his ally and how there is still a friendship there. One thing I would like to see is Ryan stopping by Wildwind more often, visit Gillian in the mausoleum, and spend some time with Sam (remember how Sam and Ryan were buds when Ryan lived at Wildwind). Overall I am very pleased with Ryan's return. :)