I have been married for 12 years. When I announced my engagement 13 years ago to family and friends, I received love and excitement from almost everyone. It was a normal engagement and very exciting time for my future husband and I. We had family and friends join us. It was exactly what it should have been. We had our share of fights and disagreements about flowers and food. It was a bit more stressful because we were mixing cultures and races, but at the end of the day we were blessed. No one felt it necessary to picket my wedding. No articles were written deeming my choice blasphemy. No one uttered a peep about our future children. It was just a union between a brown boy and a white girl. It was what we wanted and no one stood in our way. It was a great day.
Today is a great day. Today is the day that my best friends can happily travel the United States and say in every state that they are legally bound. Today is a day that recognizes them as husband and husband. Today is the day that they can proudly say they are recognized by the government of the United States. I am happy for them today. I am saddened by the fact that it has taken this long, but today is a great day. I am happy to live in a place where opinions are valued and freedoms are protected. I am excited for all of the couples who have been waiting for this day. A day that I took for granted 12 years ago. A day that I always thought was my right to have. That day 12 years ago was given to me, but my best friends had to fight for today. They had to fight for a right that I took for granted. The right to be married.
I am filled with joy, love, and patriotism today. Today I am feeling pretty gay. Marriage is for anyone who will lay their life down for someone they love. Marriage is for anyone who will take care of their spouses needs over their own. Marriage is for anyone who wants to raise a family with someone who shares their core values and beliefs. Marriage is not a secret club. Marriage is not a privilege. Marriage is a right.
So today I say congratulations. It's about time that tolerance and acceptance are the headlines in the news. Today is a great day to be gay.
Meredith is a work-from-home mother of three who writes about the inappropriate side of marriage and motherhood on her blog at thatsinappropriate.net. She is also a contributor on the parenting team at today.com. Follow her on Medium, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.