I Survived the Bridal Shower

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Earlier today my mom, sister, and youngest brother's girlfriend and I drove an hour away to my future sister-in-law's mother's house for her bridal shower. It was tiring, that's for sure. I do not enjoy these types of events and it's even worse when most of the people who are in attendance are a bunch of rich, privileged people that you have absolutely nothing in common with. As I expected, it was awkward. The other ladies there seemed nice enough but we are from different worlds so I didn't know what to say to most of them. I grew up in poverty and it's weird hearing someone else reminiscing about being a competitive horseback rider and swimming in the ocean every weekend with her horse when she was a kid. I have only seen the ocean a few times in my life, and there was certainly no horseback riding involved. It must be nice to grow up privileged, and to not be screwed up from the trauma of your childhood. One thing I found bizarre was that my future sister-in-law's mom's house had thick, plush blue carpet in every single room, including the bathroom and the kitchen. I have never seen carpet in a bathroom or a kitchen. I guess rich people can afford to be eccentric. Anyway, we stayed a couple hours -- just long enough to eat and watch my soon-to-be sister-in-law open gifts -- and then we hit the road. It wasn't as bad as I expected but it definitely wasn't pleasant. I also thought it was weird that my brother's fiancee was openly bragging about how she pressured him into proposing. She flaunts the fact that she is getting married. They have been together three years and she was claiming it's unheard of to NOT get married after you've been together for two whole years. That really rubs me the wrong way. I have been with my partner for nearly 11 years, and my relationship is not less than hers simply because we don't have that piece of paper. What good is marriage if it doesn't last, anyway? My brother was already married once. We all thought he would stay with his ex-wife forever, but that didn't happen. So there's no guarantee this marriage will last either. Anyway, it's annoying when women flaunt their engagement and use every chance they get to remind everyone that they are engaged. Which is what my future SIL did all day. (Because having us attend her bridal shower isn't enough?) She might be legally marrying into our family but that doesn't make her relationship more valid than anyone else's. I consider my youngest brother's girlfriend family also. Marriage is not the end-all, be-all of everything.