impromptu chapel

I attended a meeting yesterday where everyone was a stranger. I'd been asked to speak on a thing or two and out of my element I was quietly sitting and waiting when a man stood up and began to address the crowd, his tone somewhat quiet and serious. Curious, I lean in. He starts talking about history in the making, about gays having the right to marry, how this means he is finally free to marry his long time love too. The room spontaneously broke out into applause when he said this even though this wasn't the reason for the meeting and had almost nothing to do with why folks were there. He spoke quite eloquently and it was beautiful. I felt tears prick my eyes and as he finished, this man I do not know.

And so I sat in a room of unfamiliar people and felt the warmth that comes from humans risking a moment to talk about what matters and allowing others there to say Amen.

I have some friends who are altar bound across the state, friends who love and give and honor and reach, friends who've only wanted the simple recognition so many others take for granted and is finally theirs for the choosing. And to that I also say Amen.