Last night, I attended a wedding.  After sixteen years together, a lovely couple at my church got married. The service was beautiful. A string quartet played as their extended family members came down the aisle, including an adorable pint-sized ring bearer. The couple had each written their own vows and declarations of love, which included statements like “I promise to always keep caramel toffee ice cream in the freezer for you,” and “I love your laugh and your smile—I just adore you!”

Weddings always move me to tears, but this one was especially meaningful. Our Unitarian minister noted that while he’d been officiating commitment ceremonies for lesbian and gay couples for the past 31 years, this marked the first time he was performing a same-sex marriage that was legally recognized in the state of Kentucky.

I broke out in goose bumps thinking about how blessed I’ve been to witness the legalization of gay marriage in my lifetime. Never mind the Kim Davis’s of the world. We are standing on the side of love, and it is a beautiful place to be.