"A Renewed Faith in Marriage" by Christopher Luna

My thanks to Kelly Keigwin and Sam Mackenzie for inviting me to contribute to their blog for the Love is a Radical Act project. I admire what they are doing to open people's hearts and fight for everyone's right to love.

As Sam explains in her introductory post:

"I am fighting for recognition and respect for all types of families – blended families, queer families, multi-racial families, adoptive families, families of choice, childless and child-free families, single people, and many more. I am fighting for the right to marry my partner so that we will enjoy the same protections that other couples take for granted. Heck, if someone can come up with a better system that will allow for greater flexibility and protection for all types of families, then I will fight for that too."

Sam invites "all of those out there making the world better through love – romantic love, parental love, platonic love, fraternal love, service to others, compassion, understanding, and any other kind of love – [to] send in your photos, words, videos, or anything else that shows what love means to you of how you and/or your loves ones are making love a radical act. Do not feel obligated to only share the happy stories – sometimes love is hard and painful – but do refrain from hurtful or oppressive language. This blog is meant to be a safe space."

If you'd like to share a story with Sam and Kelly, or would just like to know more about the project, go to: Love is a Radical Act

Christopher Luna reads a poem to commemorate

Sam and Kelly's wedding at Torque Coffee

December 9, 2012

Here is an excerpt from my post:

"Lesbian couples I know, such as my friends Sam and Kelly, and my cousin Jeannie and her wife, Steph, have been showing us straight couples what lifelong commitment is really all about. My fiancée, Toni, and I have been a couple for five and a half years. During that time, we have referred to each other as “partners.” We did this for two reasons: 1. We have endeavored to practice true partnership, which means that neither person dominates the other, emotionally, physically, or financially. 2. We wanted to show our solidarity with our queer brothers and sisters here in Vancouver and around the world.

"Toni taught me that the form of love that I always dreamed of is indeed possible. Together we have built a strong partnership in which we remain in the moment, and discuss any issues that arise right away, before resentment can begin to build. Both of us have suffered in marriages in which our feelings were ignored or disregarded, and this is what allowed us to appreciate finally finding another person who values and appreciates us. In fact, I think that regularly expressing gratitude is one of the greatest secrets to a lasting relationship."

To read the rest of the post, go to "A Renewed Faith in Marriage" by Christopher Luna

And don't forget to love each other. Expressing our love and appreciation is powerful, liberating, necessary.