If only we could see the endless string of consequences that result from our smallest actions. But we can’t know better until knowing better is useless.
“
| — | Looking for Alaska by John Green (via quote-book) |
It’s back! On the first day of the 2013 legislative session, state senator Heather Steans and state representative Greg Harris introduced the Religious Freedom and Marriage Fairness Act in the House and Senate in Illinois.
This follows up marriage equality legislation that was introduced in the last session and passed a Senate committee, but did not have time to make it to the full legislature. The bill has the support of Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn as well as President Obama.
“Last week, the Senate Executive Committee made history by approving same-sex marriage and gave our efforts incredible momentum,” Steans said in a statement released by Equality Illinois. “With the full support of Senate President John Cullerton, I am confident legislators will grant all Illinois couples the freedom to marry this year.”
The bill enjoys bipartisan legal support, expressed by GOP chairman Pat Brady, who said last week that “giving gay and lesbian couples the freedom to get married honors the best conservative principles. It strengthens families and reinforces a key Republican value — that the law should treat all citizens equally,” according to the Equality Illinois release.
To add a little boost to everyone’s good mood, Illinois Rep. Kelly Cassidy got engaged to her partner, Kelley Quinn, steps away from the Capitol building (pictured above) just a day before the marriage equality bill was introduced. D’awwwwww.
A Grand Re-Entrance
I have to be honest - I haven’t written on Tumblr in a very long time. It’s been a long string of reposting interesting posts, quotes, and photos from everyone else. I’m sure there is no one that has been patiently awaiting my next real post, but in a way, I have. There is something about writing, about just getting thoughts into words that inspires me to actually do the things I think about. It’s like my ambition is there, but when I write about it, it transforms into something I’m actually capable of… I’m not asking anyone to understand this at all, it’s just something I’ve always felt. So, as much as I’ve told myself that I’m just “too busy” to write anything, or there’s really “nothing going on,” I’ve realized the true reason that I have not been writing - or doing much of anything personally productive in the past year or so. I’ve dealt with so many personal things in the past couple of years that led me to spin wildly into a quest for what I truly wanted out of life. In dealing with these matters, I put a lot of my writing and thinking about mundane things aside, hoping to one day return with a better outlook on myself and my future.
It was a difficult journey of figuring out if I really wanted to be a teacher, understanding that who I fell in love with meant a difficult transition for many people, us included, a mile-long list of job applications followed by “we regret to inform you” e-mails, and a lot of soul searching. It was hard, because the nearest and dearest things to my heart were a mess. Luckily for me, persisting through the hard times (and continuing to do so now) has resulted in the resolution of so many of these heartaches. As most things do, my quest came full circle and I found a happy balance, and realized that I really was meant to teach.
Each day things improve, but they are still hard. Especially on the job front. I’ve recently gotten some great news with my certification tests, and am really on my way to the classroom. I am so grateful for everyone’s support and understanding along the way. For my family who always loved me, even though I was hard to love sometimes, for their acceptance and support, and constant reminder of just how strong a family can be, even through hard times. For Lindsay, for putting up with my meltdowns, for reminding me of all that I should be thankful for, for loving me through all of the good days and bad, and for making this small but cozy home with Cannoli and I. And for my friends, friends from high school, college friends, teacher friends, and work friends… for making me laugh while reminiscing, for letting me rant about how becoming a teacher is hard or how worried I am for the future, and for helping me remember that I can do far more than I think I can.
So, I guess that is my re-entrance into the “thinking - writing - doing” mindset that I enjoy. It is my hope that you will see more posts from me, because that means that I am inspired and hopeful. I can’t wait to see what lies ahead in this journey of life, but I hope that for now, the worst is over, and it’s time for the good parts. :)
