love day

My love,

Ten years from now, you probably won't remember this day. I mean, you've just turned 4, so there's a good chance that by next month, this day will have already left your mind. Still, I can't begin to put into words what experiencing today alongside of you meant to me. This morning, we were camped outside of our local Lush store ("the soap store," as you lovingly call it) waiting for them to open to stock up on some #GayIsOK soaps. We took a detour first to sip some coffee (water for you) and throw pennies into the fountain in the middle of the mall. I'm glad we took this detour. About thirty seconds before we stepped foot into Lush, I got the news: marriage equality in all fifty states. The texts from friends began to roll in then, each one celebratory and full of can you believe it? and rejoicing that, yes, this world just got a little less cruel for our children. You see, my love, ten years from now you will look at me with horror as I recall a time where discrimination was rampant in this country. You will shake your head and be glad that you don't know a world like that.

"It's love day," you told the Lush employee who greeted us. Yes, it's love day. We stocked up on our soaps -- and even made a second trip back in to pick some up for friends -- and as we walked through the mall, you begin to ask me about love day. Your confusion, you see, was that you didn't understand why loving someone was bad. "But, mommy, we should all love each other," you said. I realized then that in your life, you hadn't heard the nauseating "one man, one woman" song and dance. In your life, a family was who loved you and marriage was something that people who loved one another did to celebrate that love. The very idea that there were laws against love was something you never knew about until today when we celebrated the demise of this particular evil. We sat by the fountain again and I tried to think of a way to explain it to you but, much like it doesn't make sense to me, it didn't make sense to you, either. We decided that it was better to celebrate love, to love one another, and to acknowledge that love always wins.

Today I sat with you at the fountain in the mall and soaked up every second of history being made. Human rights were granted. Equality is here. Love won. By the time you read this, you'll probably be unable to fathom a time when it wasn't this way. By the time you read this, you'll look at me with the same horror and disbelief that I feel when my mother lists the establishments that she, as a Jew, was banned from during her adolescence. We have a ways to go to get this country up to speed, my love, but we took a gigantic leap today. My heart is soaring with pride today. History was made today and you were a part of it, even if you likely won't remember.

My love, please remember that your father and I will always be on your side. Who you are is beautiful. Who you are is perfect. You are always worthy of being loved. We will always be proud of you. We will always support you. We will always love you. We will love whoever you loves you, we will love whoever you love. Your love story will always be my favorite. Let today be a reminder that love always wins -- and how absolutely beautiful that is.