A beautiful Connecticut wedding

Sparklers instead of rice
Originally uploaded by typingelbow.

I had two remarkable experiences this weekend.
Saturday night, I had the pleasure of attending a perfect wedding in snow-covered Connecticut. I'd never been up there, and I went as my friend Chris' pinch-hit date. I'd heard a lot about his family and the small town where he grew up, so I was glad to drop everything and head north for the day. Well, the stories were true: his family is awesome. They all make each other laugh and weren't afraid to break out their moves on the dance floor. (Go Robby, go!!) It was a holiday wedding, and the deep red of the dresses complimented the snow outside. From the uncles who kept refilling everyone's wine glasses to the sweet old married couples who still got up to slow-dance after 40 years of marriage, the wedding was just fantastic.

But another event, much shorter than the wedding party, is also on my mind tonight. I watched Brokeback Mountain on Saturday, right before I got on the train for Connecticut. The movie is beautiful, one of the best I've ever seen. With mountains and valleys as the backdrop, Ennis and Jack fall in love the moment they meet. It's raw and exposed when they're alone, but they live their separate lives in shame and denial, hating themselves for a love they couldn't stop.
I know it's just a movie, but this one left a lingering sadness with me. I walked out of the theater with red, swollen eyes because even though this was set during the 1960s and '70s, it can still be that frightening to be gay today. I have friends who've been with their partners for a decade, but they are still careful about coming out to strangers. Maybe if more people watch Brokeback Mountain and let it live as a love story rather than just the Gay Cowboy Movie, we'll make a little more room for each other.