Finally.

After over fifty years together, Phyllis Lyon and Del Martin will be legally married in San Francisco today. The fact that gay marriage was ever an issue to begin with is baffling. How much progress have we made really? Small steps I suppose. It's just embarrassing that in the year 2008, such a simple human right should be a matter of controversy. Still, I congratulate the victory.

Maybe marriage is another one of those things we do not appreciate because it comes with no effort, all you have to do is decide to walk to the courthouse and that's it! Well, that is if you are a "straight" couple. People either abuse marriage and do not respect what it symbolizes, or they shit all over it because it is an "outdated institution" and have become so disillusioned with the divorce trends.

Can some please accurately define marriage for me?