What are the happiest days of your life?
Many of us probably share similar answers. Mine include the day I married my husband and the day our daughter was born.
Both occasions signaled the beginning of amazing journeys, as you know if you are married or a parent.
June 26, 2015 was a happy day for millions of Americans who celebrated the Supreme Court ruling that same-sex marriage is a right protected by the Constitution in all 50 states. Some couples, like my neighbors, will celebrate the day far into the future as their wedding anniversary.
But millions of other Americans did not celebrate, saying it was a sad day in history, that marriage is to be between a man and woman, that the court’s ruling goes against God and Biblical teachings.
My wedding day is 23 years in the past, but I can remember in detail walking down the church aisle, my father next to me, the man I was about to marry waiting for me at the altar, our family and friends filling the pews, ready to witness us speak our vows and support us as we embarked on life together. I took my husband-to-be’s hands, he told me I was beautiful, and the pastor began speaking. I don’t remember the ceremony word-for-word. I remember she talked about ‘the ladder of love.? I remember it seemed to go on for awhile. What I remember most was our vows, those vows that seem to be included in most weddings, the ones my parents spoke 48 years ago, the ones my grandparents spoke more than 70 years in the past, the ones couples ready to spend their lives together have spoken for hundreds of years now? to love and to cherish, in sickness and health, for richer, for poorer, forsaking all others, til death do us part.
It’s quite the commitment, and I was excited to make the commitment, because here was this man I was madly in love with. If you’re married, do you remember how in love you were when you promised all those things to your spouse?
If you are lucky and if you have worked at it and struggled through the hard times, you may still be married and have a love that is even stronger than the day you said, ‘I do.? Even if you aren’t married, or have no plans to ever marry, can you imagine someone telling you that you can’t?
I have trouble thinking of anything that would be more devastating than someone telling me that I could not marry the person I loved, a person that also loved me and wanted to marry me.
Yet up until a week ago, that is exactly how it was for millions of people in this country. How sad must that be? Do you know anyone personally that was not able to marry because they shared the same gender as the person they loved?
Humans have a wide range of beliefs and philosophies. Politics and religion are two things that often divide us, but the need to love and be loved is universal.
I rejoice today for couples who finally able to express that love in marriage. Wishing you happiness always.