“Like a kiss of sunshine on my face” – Basement Jaxx, What A Difference Your Love Makes

Tiffany and I were asked to do a reading that excerpted part of this conversation between Calvin and Hobbes about love at a wedding this past weekend and were delighted to do so.

I’m still all filled up with love as I type this at 36,000 feet on our return from Louisville, so let’s take an accounting of the things I loved about the last four days

• The 21C Museum Hotel
• Seeing Felicia for the third time in six weeks
• Meeting the boyfriends of some of my favorite people
• Genuinely liking and approving of those dudes
• Rain. Lots of it.
• Lightning.
• Accidentally going to Indiana.
• The Silver Dollar.
• Babies with expressive old man faces
• My yarmulke staying on my head
• Not accidentally driving into a flooding creek
• Please and Thank You chocolate chip cookies
• Bourbon and Orange Juice
• The giant Louisville Slugger
• Nancy and Sheldon
• Brigid Kaelin playing the saw
• Photobooth antics
• Large red penguins in odd places
• Double rainbows
• Endless nerdy conversations
• Endless laughter
• Lipgloss and vitamins
• The delight that is the brides’ friend Allison
• Golden Boy
• Feeling so honored to be participating in the first wedding in the newly renovated synagogue.
• Acknowledging the power of love. This wedding was of two women, together for 18 years, civilly married this summer in another state, religiously married in front of friends, and family, and their congregation.
• Being so impressed by a religious institution taking the opportunity to accept and love this non-traditional couple into their flock and use it as a catalyst to re-affirm their commitment to love, to learning, and to being a welcoming place.
• Realizing that this was 8 years after I first met them in person at the scene of their commitment ceremony. It’s the first time I’ve been a part of a Jewish wedding and the first time I’ve been part of a wedding since June’s Supreme Court ruling on marriage equality but not the first time I’ve been part of a celebration of their love and commitment.
• Those two ladies. Our lovely brides. So best.