Wouldn't It Be Nice?

Waiting for eight. Ask any gay man or lesbian woman in the fine state of California what that means to them. For some of us, we wait for another group of folks to decide if Shawn and I have the privilege to remain legally wed. As the dawn of this decision finally approaches, I don't think I'm ready for it. It's somehow nicer. Safer. Not knowing. According to most of the posts I've followed, few in the community have even a glimmer of hope that this thing will swing in our favor. Marches are planned. I keep marching. Hoping.
My ipod is filled with an eclectic mix of genres. Probably a good three quarters of the play list is devoted to my all time Greatest Hits which defines who I am. Depeche Mode, Erasure, Abba. The soundtrack of my life, if you will. The rest of the songs are fairly chaotic in their range. Gospel, Oldies, One Hit Wonders.
The other day The Beach Boys came up on the shuffle.
I really love the Beach Boys. Quintessential California. My Dad grew up in the same environment as they did, so I always imagine his views are similar. I've heard the song a thousand times, but on this particular performance I thought about Shawn. How we met. How we planned our lives. How we traveled. How we thought, "Wouldn't It Be Nice?"

Brian Wilson - Tony Asher - Mike Love
Lead Vocal: Alan Jardine & Mike Love

Wouldn't it be nice if we were older
Then we wouldn't have to wait so long
And wouldn't it be nice to live together
In the kind of world where we belong

You know its gonna make it that much better
When we can say goodnight and stay together

Wouldn't it be nice if we could wake up (ooooohhh oooh)
In the morning when the day is new (ooooohhh ohh)
And after having spent the day together (ooooohh ohh)
Hold each other close the whole night through

Happy times together we've been spending
I wish that every kiss was neverending
Oh, wouldn't it be nice (pom pom pom pom pom pom pom pom)

Maybe if we think and wish and hope and pray it might come true
(run run de-oooo)
Baby then there wouldn't be a single thing we couldn't do
We could be married
(we could be married)
And then we'd be happy
(and then we'd be happy)
Wouldn't it be nice

(pom pom pom pom pom pom pom pom)
(pom pom pom pom pom pom pom pom)
(pom pom pom pom pom pom pom pom)

You know it seems the more we talk about it
It only makes it worse to live without it
But lets talk about it
Wouldn't it be nice

(pom pom pom pom pom pom pom pom)
(pom pom pom pom pom pom pom pom)
(pom pom pom pom pom pom pom pom)

Good night oh baby
Sleep tight oh baby
Good night oh baby
Sleep tight oh baby

Photo by Julie Edwards
www.jedwardsphotographer.com