A day in heaven...
By Michia
I wonder what it would be like to lay a blanket down in a park full of people, to lay beside my love in the sun (and then the shade) and touch her face affectionately and not worry that some mother is hiding her child's eyes. I wonder what it would be like to walk hand in hand through vendor booths, stopping to look at something we both like then laugh at each other and hugging because we said the same thing at the same time. I wonder what it would be like to kiss her in public--nothing racey, just the affection that wants to flow out and embrace her 24 hours a day....I wonder....it would be a day in heaven.
Yesterday was our day in heaven. We went to the Seattle Pride. First was the parade which was a lot of fun...and very very interesting. No one exaggerated...tens of thousands of people...it was very crowded, but we got there early with our chairs and were very comfortable. Well, most of the time...the balloon hitting me in the face was a little (very little) distraction. The tiny little girl holding it was cute, and Ali being able to laugh at me made it all worth it. Then we went to the park to have our picnic and walk through vendor booths and listen to music. We even saw Margaret Cammemeier, (in FULL uniform in 85 degrees of humid weather!!!) and actually walked withing two feet of her...she was in an ernest conversation so we didn't get to talk to her, but it was interesting nonetheless. The event was wonderful...people everywhere, and I really wasn't struck so much by the fact that there were all these gay people in one place or that I saw thousands of lesbians and gays...what has stayed with me was the wonderful freedom to be able to hold Ali's hand, to kiss her on a whim, to sit on our blanket with her head in my lap, my arm across her chest.
What a wonderful day. Politics aside, we need a day like this just to help us hold onto our hope that this will someday be taken for granted. That we could do all of these things and no one will think twice about it no matter where we are.
