What is Marriage

Despite all the talk about proposition 8 in California, it's my daughter who actually made me think about this.

I have always held to the belief that marriage is a union between a man and woman...because that is what I have been taught, it made the most sense to me. And in the context of religious tradition, it's a fact. Now, as I have recently been examining my beliefs in religious tradition, I suppose it's past time for me to examine this one.

Back to sweet pea's part in this

We were sitting on the couch cuddling when she asked me if Bear and I were going to go get married the next time her mamaw and papaw came for a visit. Seems she didn't want us to because she thought that meant that we would be leaving her for a little while. Eventually I got her to understand that her daddy and I were already married and we weren't going anywhere. This made her very happy.

She then surprised me by saying that she wanted to marry Talia--the daughter of a neighbor who she has played with in the past. Well, holding true to my upbrining, I started to explain that marriage is generally between a man and woman. Of course, as a 4 year old would, she just told me she wanted to marry Talia anyway.

I said "Okay, sweetie" and left it at that.

I suppose with the talk of proposition 8 and my talk with sweet pea working in the back of my mind, it was time to look further into this belief. Actually, it didn't take that much looking. The next day marriage came up again with sweet pea and I actually listened to what I told her--Marriage is 2 people who love eachother and want to spend the rest of their lives together. I didn't say a man and woman; I said 2 people.

Internally, I'm still working through the implications of that statement to my belief structure. A girl can only take so much change at once ;) It's my head actually that's doing the working through. My heart tells me that two people who love each other and are committed to a life together can't be wrong. Who is anyone to say that love is wrong?