Baking and Processing

25 minutes until the banana bread is done. Spent the day in a funky mood, thinking about people and lives and how they turn out so differently.
Last night was fun, but different than I thought it would be.
Most of the people were married...a lot had kids. More than once I was called his wife by people who obviously didn't know him. We laughed about it and quickly corrected them. There's no ring on my finger people, and we're perfectly okay with that.
Many of the 'married with kids' people looked old...mid to late 30s, and as I looked at Brandon I saw the person who sticks his lip out to make a sad face, just because it makes me laugh...who turns his hat backwards and sings really loud in the car - God he's cute when he does that. How are they so old and he's...well...not?
A decade was repeatidly summed up a 5 minute conversation that consisted of where you live, what you do for a career, if you're married, and if you have kids. If you knew someone well the 5 minutes is extended to 10, maybe 15, and topics such as college and old high school stories are covered. For the most part it was all very superficial, and at times I felt like I had more in common with these complete strangers than they did with each other.
I left feeling comfortable with where I am and where we are. People were married, with real jobs, kids, a house...everything we're programmed to want, yet they weren't that happy. In fact, I think we were happier than many of the couples we met. The distance and drama that accompanied it...the tension that comes from wanting different things out of life...none of it can take away the chemistry and the trust that's at the core of our relationship.
I'll remind myself of that daily, not comparing myself and our relationship to the people around us, but accepting it for what it is and what it isn't and being happy with what we've made together.