We’re at that age when every other week it seems as though all of our old high school friends seem to be tying the knot or popping out babies.
Then, there’s us college folk. I can’t speak for all of us, but one of my biggest concerns is who is going to be my designated driver this weekend?
I’m kidding…somewhat. It’s like once we all graduated, the majority of my high school peers didn’t know what to do with themselves, so they got married or started a family. Which is fine. That’s their prerogative I guess, if 25-to-life is what they had in store for their future.
Truth is, we are approaching the age where marriage might be dangling in the back of our minds.
I’m sure we all know someone who has been waiting their entire life just to get married. My sister was planning her wedding ever since she saw her first Disney movie. Needless to say, she was married before she turned 22.
I’ve always been cynical and career-oriented though. Who needs a husband when you’ve got a sick career, making bank, and doing whatever you want, whenever you want?
I’ve been in a long-term relationship for over two years, and out of the blue he starts talking about marriage and a wedding. I felt this strange presence in the pit of my stomach. I was sure I was going to barf until I recognized the feeling. This cannot be happening to me. I was…excited.
All of the sudden, my Pinterest transformed into everything I despised, my browser history is nothing but engagement rings and wedding gowns, and I’m looking at possible venues while at work. I’m a monster.
I went from scoffing at 20-somethings who were worried more about their wedding caterer than their midterms to staring down the barrel of an engagement ring myself.
Is it too soon to get married in your early twenties or is it becoming a norm for our generation? Are we throwing our lives away too early just to increase the chances of getting divorced in the future?
There are so many things we need to consider at this wild, crazy age of the early 20’s. We are all still developing and maturing. We change considerably in this period of our lives. It’s not about “being with someone forever” it’s about building a life together. Some people are little more difficult to work with.
I don’t think age is necessarily the factor that needs to be considered. I don’t believe that the age at which you get married affects divorce. Its maturity and knowing the difference between like, lust, and love.
In Hebrew, the word used for marriage actually means “fire.” When you have it, you know you have it. You can’t explain it, but you can feel it. That’s when you know.
Like in my case, you just know when it’s right for you to transcend into Bridezilla mode. I don’t know when I decided that “yep, I like this one. I’m going to annoy him for the rest of our lives,” but I did.
I think the difference between myself and the girls that aspire to be nothing more than a housewife is the reason.
I care less about the wedding, the ring, the dress, the venue than I do about taking the next step in my relationship, having his last name, and going through life as a team.
Getting married is just a chapter in my life, but it certainly is not the whole book.