Ten Whole Years

Wednesday marked the day my DH and I celebrate as our anniversary. It's not our wedding anniversary - that's in July - but 14th April 2000 was the day we told each other how we felt. It seems almost unbelievable that a decade has passed. We had a very special evening on our anniversary night, watching back video clips from the last few years and reliving many adventures we've had along the way.

We have a very unusual relationship and by rights we probably shouldn't have even met since we lived at opposite ends of the country. We most probably shouldn't still be together when I think of all the obstacles in our path. For one thing, there's the fact that I'm gay. It's a topic I would have had to mention sooner or later. My husband is actually the one who helped me to come to terms with my sexuality as I was so far into the closet that I probably had about twenty coats hiding it from view. I can't pretend we've never had any negative comments because some people have been unpleasant in the past, but we are happy and confident in our relationship and that is what matters. I think some people are just supposed to be together no matter who they are. we'd probably have fallen in love if he'd been an elephant and I'd been an ant, although the size difference would have made reproduction impossible.

Then there was the distance. Living through five years of a long distance relationship was not easy and I shed many tears over every goodbye. I shudder to think how much we spent on train fares or how many hours we spent travelling back and forth. I do have fond memories of the excitement and anticipation building up, buying newspapers to read on the journey and then never looking at them because I was too busy staring out of the window, desperate to get to my destination or cooking carefully-timed pasta to be ready the second he arrived at the door.

There were so many other things that should have stopped us meeting in the first place, but I am forever glad that we did. Over the last few years we've said goodbye to four/five hour train journeys and built a home and family together. We have two very precious girls, three adorable guinea pigs, we even had a ghost at one point. We may never have been the most conventional couple but we are happy and content. The last ten years have sped by because they have been full of smiles and laughter.

Love isn't always easy and relationships can be hard, but it is a risk worth taking. Here's to the next ten years and all the adventures that come our way!