Marriage advice usually focuses on the big stuff – finances, kids, in-laws. Nobody warns you about the tiny domestic landmines waiting to explode, like whether butter belongs on the counter or in the fridge.
When I first saw my husband’s butter sitting out, I reacted like any reasonable person – with utter horror. But Braden just smiled and said, “Relax, babe. My grandma kept hers out for decades.” Cue my internal screaming as I imagined every foodborne illness known to man breeding in that sunny corner of our kitchen.
What followed was a weeks-long standoff that revealed more about our relationship than any therapy session could. Through buttergate, I learned that marriage isn’t about winning arguments – it’s about understanding why your partner cares so deeply about something that seems trivial to you. Sometimes love means compromising on refrigeration practices to honor someone’s childhood memories.
