I wish I could have clipped the entire article. So I just included as much as I could. I urge you to read the entire piece, as it is absolutely beautiful, humourous, touching and honest.

It is entirely apropos at this time, as next week, August 31, my partner Arnold and I are getting legally married here in our home city of Montreal. Same-sex marriage became legal in Canada in 2005. We waited until this year, because Sept 10th shall mark the 25th anniversary of our original unification ceremony we celebrated in Boston in 1983. What better way to renew our vows than to do so while finally getting married legally, in a country that recognizes and honours our relationship?

Congratulations! Twenty-five years is amazing!

What better way to renew our vows than to do so while finally getting
married legally, in a country that recognizes and honours our
relationship?

Beautiful Zasel . . . and maybe one day, because of efforts of those like you are have been open and honest and demanded social justice, the struggle won't be as difficult.

In the meantime, I am so happy for you and Arnold! Extra-hugs to you both

Congrats, zasel and arnold.."may your humps grown straight and your hoofs (hooves?) grow strong" (from Weeping Camel)
more for a birth, but you are celebrating a kind of birth so I figger it fits ok.

Congratulations zasel and arnold. I wish you a long and happy life together. I'm going to e-mail this clip to my son. He and his partner have been together for almost eight years and engaged officially for almost one. Mind you there is a religion factor (they're both the same, my son converted) but there is family opposition to the life-style on both sides of the family. Not from me!

Thank you all for your kind and sincere support. Tanyamm, I am sure your son and his partner will manage to get through the familial difficulties. If they truly love each other, as it seems they do, then they will do what is right for them. I am so happy to see that they have your loving support.

Luv u Zasel

Love is the key. Love and mutual respect for each other should dominate ANY relationship. Here is some advice from an old, wise, GrandMaMa: "If you can count how many times you've said I Love You today to each other - then you haven't said it it enough. Get busy".

Good Luck and stay well.

Thank you, minority-builders-sc, I truly appreciate your wise and supportive thoughts. You are so right about love and mutual respect. I could not imagine being married to someone for whom I had no respect. In the 26 years my Arnold and I have been together, my respect for him has continued to grow, along with my love. I have every indication from him that the feeling is mutual.

We met in March, 1982, when I knocked on his door, after moving into his building as a neighbour, to ask if I could use his phone to check on when my new phone was scheduled to be installed. We started a conversation on that day, which has continued every day since then, and neighbour of us have yet run out of things to say to each other.