The other nightatdinnermysonasked,"Whyhere?Whyaretheycomingheretoget
married,Mom?"
Itookadeepbreathandtoldhim,"Weareluckytoliveinastate
wheresomeoneontheirdeathbed,fightingaterminaldisease,doesn'thavetofly
acrossthecountrytomaketheirunionlegal.Wearefortunatetoliveinaplacethat
recognizesthesanctityofamarriagebetweentwomenortwowomen."
Mycousin,LisaDumaw,anattorneyandformerGoldmanSachsemployee,having
valiantlyfoughtherbattlewithovariancancerforthelastfive-plusyears,isinthelastweeks,days, momentsofherlife.Thistimearound,remissionslippedeverso
quicklythroughhergrasp. Forty-seven yearsold,havingspentthelast15yearsina
dedicatedandlovingrelationship,aresidentofColorado, sheisnotentitled
(accordingtoherstate)tomarryherpartnerandmakeherunionlegal,orto
ensurethatherpartnerwillbeentitledtotheSocialSecuritybenefitsforwhichshe
hasworkedlongandhardovermanyyears.
So,whileherbodyisfailingher,all90lbs.ofheriswillingtotravelacrossthe
countrytoNewYork,astatewheresuchunionsareacknowledged.Itisherlast
wish.Thetripwillbearduousatbest.Shewillbeshuffledbetweenterminalsina
wheelchair,yetIwillbeblessedwiththeopportunitytoorchestrateamagical
weddingnightinmylivingroom.
But why here?
Becausesometimesdesiretrumpspracticality.LisaandThereseloveWoodstock,
andWoodstockisinastatethataffirmstheirchoice,andIchoosetoliveinaplace
whereIcancelebratethisandthrowanimpromptuweddingasagifttoacousin
whohasbeenlikeasistertome for myentirelife.
Thetripwillundeniablytakeitstolluponherphysically, but it'sariskthat sheiswillingto
take.Butwhataboutalltheothers?Whataboutthepeoplewhodon'thavethe
meanstojumponaplanetomaketheirlastdyingwish--alegallyrecognized
wedding -- come true?Whataboutthem?Howlongmusttheywait?Andwhatiftheydon't
havetime?
TheweddingbetweenLisaDumawandTheresePieperwilltakeplaceattheresidence
ofKristenEberhardandBillMilesonon theeveofFriday,Nov.1,2013,at5 p.m. Forfurtherinformation,pleasecontactKristenEberhardat 845-679-9244 or KNMmanagement@verizon.net.