Blessings

I found out earlier this week that my company will start offering benefits to domestic partners in 2006. This is such a blessing. There is a tendency to say, "Well of course, all employees should be offered equal rights and privileges in the workplace" and, "It's about time," but it's probably more productive to be grateful for the progress to this point and to continue to work for more. When I approach life with a sense of entitlement I find myself becoming bitter and uptight when I don't receive what I think I'm owed, but when I relax and appreciate what comes to me, life is a whole lot sweeter.

When it comes to domestic partner benefits, gay marriage, and other issues that deal with equality, it's a double edged-sword. Yes, of course we deserve equality. But it's counter-productuve to allow our validity to hinge upon whether or not we have it. I admit, I felt validated when I found out my company was going to offer domestic partner benefits. But health insurance isn't God. Angela and I are not suddenly worth more to God because we will carry matching insurance cards. Our worth as individuals and as partners is intrinsic, and to feel validated by anything other than that is misguided. God gives us value and validation. It's nice to be reminded that human rights and privileges don't have that kind of power.

That said, human rights and privileges are nice! And just as God moved through my company to bless those of us who haven't been treated equally to this point, God will move through Congress and the courts to bring about positive change in the gay marriage arena so all relationships can have equal legal footing. It may take awhile, but discrimination never has enough staying power to win in the end. Fairness and goodness always triumph.

In the meantime, count your blessings. And be glad that God trumps "Dubya."