In Response...

When I got an email saying that "Anonymous" had left a comment on my blog (in my last post, about my Jamaica vacation), I knew it wasn't going to be good. I've read enough posts by other bloggers responding to judgmental and sometimes just plain MEAN comments left by the elusive (and cowardly) Anonymous commenter. Well, look! Anonymous found my blog and had this to say:

I couldn't just let it go without saying something, so dear Anonymous, here's my response:

First of all, hi. Thanks for visiting! While I'm not really happy about your comment (and yes, it comes across as judgmental), I'm not taking it personally. I realize you're using my blog as a way to make a general comment about your disapproval of unmarried couples living and traveling together. I totally respect your opinion and think you have every right to feel the way you do. However, I (obviously) don't agree.

In response to your question about how I feel about going on a trip with my fiance: to be honest, I feel perfectly fine about it! I truly feel like there is nothing wrong with it; otherwise, I wouldn't have done it. Our trip to Jamaica wasn't even the first time we'd traveled alone together as a couple. In the seven years we've been together, we've traveled to Canada, Spain, Italy, France, Jamaica, and other locations within the U.S. I don't feel like that makes me a bad person. We aren't killing anybody, stealing from anybody or doing anything to harm anyone. All we're doing is traveling the world, creating wonderful memories together, and growing as a couple.

So, really, that's all I have to say about that! I'm not interesting in getting into a discussion about religion, but I can say that we don't think there is anything wrong with us co-habitating and traveling together before we're officially husband and wife. I understand that it's what you'd like for yourself and the people around you, but I'm not about to be judged for not holding up to a belief I don't subscribe to.

I'll leave the comments open in case anyone else has anything to say. When it comes down to it, though, how a couple chooses to live their lives is up to them. I follow a whole lot of wedding blogs (hi, guys!), and the relationships these brides have with their fiances are all different. Who am I to dictate or judge how they live their lives, especially without really knowing them? As for Steve and me, dating (and living and traveling together) over the past seven years before getting married has been right for us, and nobody can tell me otherwise.