Marriage. What does that mean?

What is marriage?

Is it really just a word?

Is it more than just a legal union?

Actually, there are several definitions for the word "Marriage". Traditionally, marriage is defined as: the social institution under which a man and woman live as husband and wife by legal or religious commitments.

To me, marriage is more than that.

There are many Male/Female marriages that absolutely do NOT represent what marriage means to me. Relationships full of disrespect, abuse, emptiness... where being together has become a habit, not a desire. Where people "stay together just for the kids."

I am a statistic.

I have one failed marriage behind me. A legal union I went into for all the wrong reasons. There was no love, no respect, there was abuse...

So why are people so determined to declare that Marriage is only for men and women... because "they" are somehow "entitled", yet 2 people who love and honor one another, but happen to be of the same sex aren't entitled to the same joy? It really doesn't make sense to me.

Let's consider for a moment, the word "traditional". A traditional family is one with a mother, father and child(ren), living under one house. Are families where Grandparents are raising grandchildren, or widows and/or widowers raising children alone, or single mothers and/or fathers raising a child, or divorced couples jointly raising children in 2 households, or homes with adopted children and not birth children or in addition to birth children, or a family without children... are these examples of "Non-traditional" families less of an example of what a family is than our "traditional idea". Absolutely not. So why is a "traditional marriage" the only example of what a marriage should be? Is the only thing that matters is that it is between a Man and Woman? Isn't it so much more than that?

I am thankful to my parents for being true examples of what I feel Jesus has called us to be: Inclusive, accepting, loving, tolerant.

I'm having a hard time loving those that discriminate. I'm having a hard time not judging. I'm working on letting that go. Fear is fear. You can't talk someone out of being afraid. They have to work through their own fear, and I just need to be accepting of where they are right now, along with being patient and tolerant, and loving...

I'm thankful that my children are being raised to continue to break down the wall of discrimination.

I long for the day when people no longer hide behind their Bible to excuse their fear.

Now, to be a bit aggressive and maybe a bit nasty... before I move on to the place of love and acceptance of ignorance and fear... I'll leave you with these thoughts.

If you are going to take the Bible literally, then take it literally. The women should no longer cut their hair, sleep in the same be as their husbands during their menstrual cycle, speak in church, and parents should stone their kids when they disobey... just for a starters.

Or better yet, embrace your fear, and truly think about what it is that has you so afraid. Ask yourself why it so easy to throw aside some scripture as antiquated, yet hold onto a cloudy and debatable reference as if it was part of the 10 commandments?

I realize that it took "us" a LONG time to see those from different races (other than caucasian) as equal. It has taken many people a long time to accept blended marriages as okay in their eyes and of their God. I know I need to be patient. Love is patient and kind. I promise to work on that. My anger is dissipating. I will not give up my fight for justice and tolerance. For change is hard work. We've only just begun to truly break down those walls of intolerance, and I'm in it for the long haul. Isn't a world of equality and love what God wants for his children?