When I was in high school we always defined relationships based on time spent together. If a couple had been together for a year it was assumed that they were in love. If a couple dated all throughout high school it was assumed they would get married.

We put all this emphasis on time when it comes to love, and it sets us up for failure. There are no set benchmarks when it comes to relationships. Every relationship changes and grows at different rates, that is what makes them unique and different.

Every couple you meet has their own unique love story, no two are quite the same. Isn't that cool?

Some people meet the love of their life in high school, while others don't meet their life partner until late adulthood.

Some people get married at 18 and some wait until they are 30.

Some people fall in love after a month, some people take years.

All of that is OK. There isn't a magical formula when it comes to these things. Poets, singers, and psychologists all have been trying to pin point the perfect age to fall in love, or the correct length of time someone should wait before getting married--but there isn't one.

Growing up, my mother always told me what times would be best to be single, what year to get married, and the perfect age to have kids. However, as I have gotten older and I have seen more marriages, my opinion differs than hers. I know plenty of successful marriages, and I know even more toxic ones. There isn't a common variable that separates the two from each other.

I know a couple who knew shortly after dating that they wanted to get married, and they have one of the most admirable marriages I have seen. Whilst, I know couples who dated for several years, are currently married, but are in a very unhealthy situation now.

I am not saying that everyone should get married young, or that everyone falls in love almost immediately after meeting the person-I'm just saying that every relationship is different. What works for you might not work for someone else you know. What you are looking for in a significant other might be different than what your friend, or someone you know is looking for.

I am not saying that time is not important at all, because time can definitely improve relationships. Time builds trust, and as you get to know the person more you may find yourself falling more in love with them. However, time is not as important as it is made out to be.

There are couples who dated for years, and felt nothing, then met someone else and felt everything.

Think about it for a second. I mean, why do you think people get divorced after 30 years of marriage? Why do people break up after seven years of dating?

I guess what I am saying is that we need to stop belittling relationships because they may be different than our own. If a relationship is shorter, or the couple is younger, it does not mean that their relationship is not as significant as your own.

I'm saying that anything can happen.

You might meet the love of your life tomorrow, or 20 years down the road at your local coffee shop.

Do not be judgmental of relationships different from your own, or make decisions based on how others think your love life should be.

Do what works best for you, and let the rest come easy.