Thursday, May 06, 2010

There is Hope

A conversation in the car this morning.  ("T." is J's preschool teacher, who got engaged last weekend.)

me: So, T. is getting married! That's exciting!
J: Yes, it is!  She shared her celebration cake with us at snack today.
me: That was nice of her to share.
*pause*
me: Do you remember going to the wedding in New Jersey in January?
J: Yes.
me: Well, now T. is planning for her wedding so she can do that next year.
J: I've never met who she's marrying.
me: True.  I've never met him either.
J: It could be a her.  I don't know because I've never met them.
me: You're right.  But I heard T. say "him" today, so I'm pretty sure she's marrying a boy.


It struck me that J. has no pre-conceived ideas about weddings and marriage.  Over the winter, we spent time explaining what a wedding is and what it means to make that pledge in front of family and friends in preparation for the wedding we went to in January.  But as far as he's concerned, any two people can get married.  And I'm happy to keep the politics of that away from him as long as possible.  Because, at least where we live, he's absolutely right.

And that makes me happy.  It gives me hope that we can raise a generation that thinks the gender of the people getting married is irrelevant.

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