Marriage: The formal union of two parties in love, and those who wish to spend the rest of their lives together.
What a fascinating subject.
In this day in age, we spend so much time debating tradition versus progressive marriages. Talking about whether gay and lesbian couples should be allowed to bond themselves together just like the heterosexual population. But something we rarely touch on when it comes to marriage is the age range. So today, my question for all you readers to contemplate: what is the target age for one to get married?
Now, I know this depends on a multitude of factors. When you meet a nice guy or gal, or when is convenient according to weather and scheduling. But, I feel in most cases, people have a sense of when they want to end their days as an individual and begin a new, conjoint life with their spouse.
For me, that number is 27. Why 27, you ask? It's simple. When I was four, and just beginning to understand how the world works, I asked my mom what the legal age was to get married. I didn't realize that it ranged - that some people got married straight out of high school and others waited until their seventies - to four-year-old me it just seemed like something that would be universal, much like driving at 16 or drinking at 21. And without missing a beat, she told me 27.
While I've come to figure out that there is no law when it comes to legal marriage age and that my mother lied to me, I have yet to reach a different conclusion. Today, more so than any other decade before, women are making a home for themselves within the workplace. Women are going to college, getting bachelor's and masters and doctorates, in order to pursue their interests and passions and become their own breadwinners. We, or the majority of women, don't go to functions anymore for the sole purpose of finding a husband, and most don't dream of being a stay at home wife. We have our own dreams to achieve, our own career paths to pursue before we settle down. And this takes time.
Now, there will always be exceptions. I have family members that are seemingly getting married straight out of high school because they found a spouse who perfectly meet their criteria for a life partner. But being the devil's advocate that I am, I am curious to see how long these marriages last. This doesn't mean that they'll all end in divorce. I mean, they could last fifty plus years, who knows. But, at least in my opinion, marriage takes knowing yourself, as well as the other person. Discovering what you want out of life and who you are as a person, before seeking out the same truth in a significant other, and merging the two together into one sacred bond. And if you've figured out all that about yourself at seventeen, well then I'm thoroughly impressed.
Before you close this page and call me ignorant or unromantic, remember, this is just my opinion. I think that everyone should spend some time finding themselves before looking for their Cinderella or Prince Charming. And heaven knows I'm not trying to tell you not to date. Go out, have fun. Get serious if you want. Attempt long distance, or try moving in together. Break a few hearts if you must. But don't sacrifice your goals or morals or anything else because you think you're running out of time to find a suitable spouse. If it's meant to happen, it'll happen. But it may not happen for a while, and that's OK. My parents got married at 34 after both had already gotten a divorce from getting married too young. And that's completely OK. The important part is that in the end, they found each other.
Me? I'm just gonna save myself the heartbreak and wait for 27.
