Actress-singer Tiffany Thornton married pastor Josiah Capaci this weekend and she was understandably over the moon on their special day. The past two years haven't been easy for the 31-year-old: In 2015, her first husband, Chris Carney, died in a tragic car accident.
You'd think that fans would be thrilled that Thornton has found happiness with a new partner, but more than a few Instagram commenters criticized her for "moving on too quickly" and some even went as far as to claim she "didn't really love" Carney.
It's cruel, ignorant, and insensitive to claim that Thornton didn't "really love" Carney. It's not up to us to tell a widow or widower the "appropriate" time to remarry. And as widow Carole Brody Fleet wrote in 2013, remarriage doesn't mean a man or woman has forgotten about or stopped loving their late spouse.
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On Sunday, Thornton responded to the criticism on Instagram.
"This. This is love. That all encompassing, enduring, accepting, near perfect love. The kind that trumps my need to snap back at people who have the audacity to comment on my Instagram about whether I loved my first husband or not. But let me take a moment to explain something to you. There is no timeline for grief or for when God moves in your life in undeniable ways," she wrote.
Thornton went on to explain that, although some people disagree with being open on social media, she is willing to share her emotions.
"I was a mess yesterday during our wedding ceremony. So many emotions flooded my heart as I walked down those balcony steps to the arms of my gift from God. I thought of Chris watching us and knowing he would have loved the choice I made, for me and for the boys. I thought of Chris's amazing parents sitting front row and how much of a blessing they have been and will forever be in our lives. How happy they are for the boys and I and how much they already love Josiah," Thornton continued.
"When I say 'Jo is the greatest thing that's ever happened to me' that in no way indicates that I didn't love my first husband with all that I had. How dare any one of you judge me and say that on a social platform. It doesn't make you any better of a person to cast judgment on others and sit in the seat of mockers. I will always love Chris and Jo knows that," she explained. "And I will always love Jo. The beautiful thing about love is that it multiplies as new blessings come into your life. I don't have to share one bucket of love with the special people in my life. Each one has their own bucket. Get it? Isn't that amazing?? God's timing is not our own. And I praise Him for that. You should too."
It's unfortunate that Thornton had to read such hateful comments on her wedding day, but props to her for standing up for herself and refusing to be shamed for her choices.