Jedi mind tricks

The final paperwork from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts arrived this month, officially declaring my seven year marriage as null and void as a result of the annulment hearing I requested and attended in 2014.

The first thing that went through my mind (after "finally") was the following cartoon, which Star Wars aficionados may relate to below.

How does this relate to my annulment?  Well, since most people don't understand the difference between a divorce and an annulment, please allow me to educate you with this:

An annulment of marriage is a legal decree that a marriage is null and void.  Annulments are granted when a court makes a finding a marriage is invalid.  While a divorce ends a legally valid marriage, an annulment treats the marriage as if it never existed from its inception and is legally erased, declaring that the marriage wasn't ever valid.

Nice Jedi mind trick, right?  The cognitive dissonance this creates is interesting.

• Yes, I went through a marriage ceremony on 07/07/07.
• Yes, my best friend received special authorization from the Governor to officiate the ceremony.
• Yes, there were family and friends there.
• Yes, I have a copy of the marriage certificate.
• Yes, we were married for seven years.

But, not really, no.  Only temporarily.  Only in the memories of those that were there.  Once I submit the paperwork to the City clerk, the marriage certificate will be pulled, and no legal record of it will ever exist.

Just like a Jedi mind trick - only, I don't need to worry about being Force-choked!

Of course, even a Force-choke could't be any worse than what I lived through for seven years.

Thank you Commonwealth of Massachusetts for allowing me to get married, but thank you so much more for allowing me to get that marriage annulled.

Time to move on.