The One Time I’ll Get Sort of Political

Dear %&#%! Baby,

This morning I am filled with hope. Tired, because I want to bed at 2am and you decided to wake up an hour early, but still with hope. Hope for your future and the nation that one day, you’ll try to understand. And I hope you’ll look back at these current times and think…well, DUH.

I hope you look up at me with those giant eyes (which hopefully will still be grey-blue) and ask me why we ever discriminated against marriage. I hope you tell me that you can’t imagine a nation like that, sort of like I can’t imagine a nation where women couldn’t vote.

I want you to grow up in a world where you can make your own decisions and laws won’t hold you back. Unless, of course, the decisions you make involve felonies because then, well, the laws should hold you back. And you’ll be grounded.

But laws on love? I hope you say one day, “Mom. Seriously? That’s stupid.”

In tiny baby steps, state by state, we are making that happen. I am so proud that my current state will recognize same-sex marriage and my home state recognizes discrimination. The votes were ridiculously close – Maryland and Minnesota both hovered around 51% before I went to bed – which is too close for my liking, but it’s still enough to make the change.

I’ve never watched amendments or ballot issues so closely. But I had a say this time. Politics is not my thing. But I know what I believe in. And today, I believe in the change that slowly comes.

I hope you’ll believe in it, too.

I also believe in the naps both of us will take this morning.

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