I know a lot of people consider us to be too young to date or consider marriage or anything like that because my friends and I are all 18 or 19 years old. But those people aren't us, they aren't a part of our relationships and they cannot limit what we are allowed to consider is love.
My parents have been together for over 20 years. They are two of the happiest, funniest and greatest people I have ever met, not to mention they seem to be a near perfect match for one another. And they met when they were only 19 years old.
It's not only them, though, we have these family friends who have been married just as long and also met when they were 19 years old. They too seem to be a near perfect match. On the other hand, I do know a lot of people who's parents are divorced, or who's parents remarried and found the love of their life when they were 30, even 40 years old.
As of a study in 2012, the national divorce rate was about 50 percent and the divorce rate here in California is around 60 percent. They always say that this new generation is getting their degree and their life in line and marrying later than previous generations, that were staying single longer so maybe that gives us all a better shot at finding true love or something.
I, however, am sick and tired or the age restrictions everyone thinks they have the right to put on love. I currently am single, I've been too busy and picky to date anyone for a good period of time over the course of high school and my first year of college. But even as a single person, I am tired of hearing the comments that I shouldn't date anyone anyway because I'm too young and I could never meet my future husband while I'm only 18 years old.
Has everyone forgot that we do not marry every single person we date? Does everyone assume that the first boy I decide to love will be my husband by the age of 20?
We should not only be able to love whoever we want, whenever we want, but we shouldn't feel bad about falling in love or dating someone just because we're young and trying to balance life at the same time. You can't dictate when you meet the person you're going to spend the rest of your life with, it could be when I'm 21 or 35, who honestly knows. More importantly though who cares? It's my life and I are sure that other people's opinions will not be a factor in my future relationships, nor will my age.
So to everyone, my wonderful friends included, you may not marry the person you're dating right now, or maybe you will, who knows. But do not let age be a factor in all of that, you can date someone for years and get married or you can do it next week, at the end of the day it's about you, not your mom or dad or anyone who wants to share their opinions.
Let love be love.
