Charlette Robichaud of Braintree, Mass. recently reminded all of us at A Note to My Kid that love has the power to persuade even those who are seemingly most set in their ways.
"I have never been so proud in all of my life," said Charlette. "We were just ourselves when she came to our home. She simply saw that we love each other..."
What follows is Charlette's story about one woman's journey toward love, acceptance, and activism, a story that proves one is never too old to turn over a new leaf:
On 8/4/07, I married my best friend/soul mate.
Not present that day was her grandmother. Raised Catholic, Grandma Lesko did not believe in same-sex marriage. She wished us well but declined our invitation.
June, 2011, I met my grandmother-in-law for the first time. My wife and I had a cookout at our home and this time Grandma Lesko was there. Nothing extraordinary happened that day. We had a nice time; Grandma Lesko looked at our wedding photo albums and enjoyed herself.
Mother's Day, 2012, while at a family cookout, Grandma Lesko broached the subject of our wedding: "You know, my biggest regret in life is not attending your wedding. When I was at your home last year, I saw something I have never seen before. And I'm not talking lovie dovie, kissing & stuff. I saw something that I've never experienced before and I was married to a man! Seeing what you two have together opened my eyes. You know, I live in a community of Catholic nuns. I've told them all about you and some of them even agree with me now about gay marriage. I wish I never lost that time with you guys. I missed three years because of stupidity."
When I told Kristina (my wife) and her mom about this conversation, you could have knocked Kristina over with a feather! Sharon (Kristina's mom) laughed and said: "Oh yea, your grandmother is the biggest gay activist there is! She gets into arguments with the nuns that don't agree with her, she tries to convert them all. She loves you guys & that's all she ever talks about anytime I'm on the phone with her!"
I have never been so proud in all of my life! Kristina & I did nothing to try to sway this woman's opinion. We were just ourselves when she came to our home. She simply saw that we love each other & that was enough for this 80 year old, die-hard Catholic to change her mind.
Words cannot express how proud, loved, hopeful, joyful and happy this conversation made me feel. I felt like I could change the world. Grandma Lesko has reinforced the old adage that love conquers all!
--Charlette Robichaud