Personally, I don't see my "gay life," or my "gay marriage" any different from the rest of my fellow humans, except for the one thing that makes me different ... who I sleep with at night.
The ruling establishes my "equality" ... it also restores my faith in humanity.
Today, my life reached a celebratory summit. I'm no longer considered a freak of nature in need of caging and thus treated as a boil on society.
Today I am recognized as an equal citizen entitled to a full, happy life.
At least that's what the Supreme Court Of The United States (SCOTUS) just told me when it ruled in favor of legalizing gay marriage nationwide.
The majority ruling, 5/4, shows that heart, logic, and respect for human rights is prevailing in our country. At the end of the day, love is love ... just as Jesus preached. Yes, that's what I believe he preached but I'm not here to debate religion, I'm only here to stand behind that belief.
As exciting as this day is, it is my opinion that this ruling goes much further than the "gay marriage debate."
The insight and wisdom passed down by SCOTUS shows a deep-seated, innate desire to treat one another as equals.
On one hand, it demonstrates that our sameness, on so many fronts, is what binds us together and helps us function as a human community to get things done. On the other hand, it shines a much-needed light on the practice of unconsciously participating in sameness for sameness sake, which tears us down and divides us. It's times like these that we're certainly meant to honor our sameness, but also learn to love and embrace our differences.
Our uniqueness as humans — in our beliefs, values, talents, and abilities is what keeps life interesting, exciting, and a true adventure!
Personally, I don't see my "gay life," or my "gay marriage" any different from the rest of my fellow humans, except for the one thing that makes me different ... who I sleep with at night.
Science tells us that we share approximately 99.9 percent similar DNA as humans. It's the slight, tiny .1-ness that makes up our unique differences. Contained in the different-ness of me, in my .1-ness, is the truth that I'm gay; but it also contains my unique ability to cook, write, be a singing spin instructor, create art prints on metal, and so on.
There's a whole lot in my .1-ness drawer that many people overlook. Including my belief that I'm created by a higher power, the same as my fellow straight and/or LGBQT counterparts. And, in that belief is where we find the magic that allows us to begin embracing and respecting each other's .1-ness. And doing so is a path that leads to oneness; solidarity.
In the arena of oneness, there is no room for hate, rejection, and discrimination — no turning people out on the streets for who they are and what they believe.
In oneness we embrace each other's .1-ness, respect it, and don't attempt to change it (or them).
In that respectful state, a new heartbeat of humanity beats to the tune of, "The .1-ness of you, reflects the .1-ness in me." It is the space where we finally embrace empathy, love, and acceptance for one another, in a manner we've never embraced before ... until now.
By no means does oneness mean, swallowing hook, line, and sinker someone else's beliefs, adapting to their lifestyle, or looking through their lens of life and blindly making it our own point of view.
Instead, what I'm suggesting is that we start to see each other for the beautiful sameness we share and dig the differences that make each of us beacons of light in the world — beacons that only we can truly be — and wrap ourselves in the universal arms of oneness.
So what does the SCOTUS ruling really mean? I believe it means we all adopt a new mantra of hope for humanity …
"I am me, you are you, and we are we!" And so it is!
This article orginally appeared at Your Tango.
Also from Your Tango:
11 Animals That Support Gay Marriage
