Mighty_Minto tweeted it best, “Among all the loss, and the ongoing pain and hurt we are living in right now…something good and right. NY’s gay marriage.”

I remember when I first met my wife. I was a freshman at Western Illinois University, she was finishing her senior year in high school. When I had weekends off work, usually once a month, my routine was to drive back home and party with friends. Now this was late spring when I met my wife, so by that time I had perfected the return home game. The drive home was nothing special, just cruised rapping along with Biggie thinking about my plan to amuse some lady that night.

At my friend’s apartment he and I pre-gamed, shot the shit, and caught up. Besides the normal guests, he said his girl, Jessica, invited a coworker and that I should get to know her. As guests started to arrive, Jessica’s phone rang. The coworker said she was unable to come, but her two friends wanted to attend; Jessica said that was fine.

By this time I had totally forgotten about any predetermined meeting and was enjoying conversation with other guests, when out of the corner of my eye I saw her. I cannot say that it was love at first sight, but at the end of the night when I wished her a safe drive home I knew she was no average woman.

Four years and some change later, I fully admit that marriage takes work, but every time I reminisce about my wedding day a smile always comes to my face. It is not that we would have separated if we were not married or the cultural taboo of an unwed family would have been too much for us to handle. What makes marriage so special is the memories it creates.

All the emotional events like the proposal, proposal sex, announcing our engagement, etc, and all the time we got to spend together picking out flowers, music, party favors, etc, it all is so cherished because the focus of all our activities was the love that we share; love that we were able to proclaimed in front of all our family and friends.

I am so happy for my fellow citizens that live in New York who finally have the ability to create memories like those my wife and I share. Please raise an imaginary champagne glass and toast, “Your wedding day will come and go, but may your love last forever.”

Molly Holmes, director of the LGBT Resource Center, shares my best wishes to those happy new and soon to be newlyweds. Holmes is less emotional about marriage than I; instead of focusing on the happy memories LGBT couples are now free to create, she applauds New York’s legislators for extending the full rights and privileges of marriage to all its citizens.

For those students who would like to become involved on campus raising awareness of LGBT issues, Holmes suggests contacting the student organization Prism or attending any of the three upcoming events sponsored or attended by the LGBT Resource Center. The LGBT Resource Center will have a table at Friday Fest on August 19, from 10:30-2pm at the Convocation Center. Afterward from 3:30-5:30pm at the Neptune North Volleyball Court area students can reunite and cool off with an Ice Cream Social. Finally, the LGBT Resource Center is holding an open house from 10am- 2pm on August 23. The LGBT Resource Center is located in the Holmes Student Center room 706.