Some say she’s doing too much, desperate or crazy…but some say this is an inspiration (and grown women do what they damn please)! On her 40th birthday the single Houston Woman Who Married Herself Says It’s All About Self Love!
The Woman Who Married Herself Says It’s All About Self Love after spending months planning a lavish and all out ‘wedding’ for her 40th birthday at the Houston Museum of African American Culture. The bride–Yasmin Eleby is a kindergarten teacher who hasn’t been in a serious relationship in six years, but let no “small” detail stop her from declaring self-respect in an ultimate display. Yasmin invited 160 guests to what most could only assume was a birthday celebration, until they were in the midst of a wedding:
“She went all out, buying a ring to mark the occasion—an amethyst-and-diamond eternity band—spending months pouring over each detail of the ceremony and enlisting the help of 10 bridesmaids and three ministers on her big day.”
The Woman Who Married Herself Says It’s All About Self Love and had joked before that if she didn’t have a man to marry by age 40, she would marry herself–realizing that it was put-up or shut-up time. Still, she took it as a declaration, saying “I had enough money to pay for what I wanted.” (GROWN. WOMAN.) But her loving actions have also sent a chain reaction of negative commentary, as so usually goes when women make bold gestures (and are called crazy).
“I am totally shocked how me loving myself is offending somebody else. It’s been blown way out of proportion.”
Despite what the media tries to spin, the Woman Who Married Herself Says It’s All About Self Love still wants a husband and has great friends who were supportive after the initial shock of hearing her plans. She even invited two of her exes to the wedding(–where they do dat???) LOL–and reportedly even they had a good time and were supportive!
“The ceremony is not about me being bitter for not having a man. It wasn’t like, “OK, I’m upset that I’m 40 and don’t have a man.” I wanted to show myself my self-love, my self-worth and my self-respect. It was always about me loving me. When God sends me my husband, he will come, but until then, I’m OK with it just being with me.”
Yasmin Eleby wrote and performed her own vows, to herself, as follows:
“The first one was about forgiving myself. We’ve all made mistakes. I had to realize that if I ask for forgiveness, then it’s done. I don’t have to keep dwelling on the past. I can let it go. My second vow was to honor myself as a beautiful, fabulous being, conscious of making decisions for myself and to honor my self-worth. The third vow was love. I made a promise to love myself and to know that the more love I have for myself, the more love I have to share with others.”
What do you think??? Clearly fellas, they’re not waiting out here!!! But seriously–hate as you may, she’s right about one thing. The world (and probably you) could use a little more love.
