Does it really matter?

Years ago, I too was guilty -- The Age Game. I thought it mattered.

I was young and dating a younger man. (Well, can we really call ourselves men and women as a teen?) Neverthemind -- the age thing was an issue. All my thoughts on intimacy and life were based on those numbers. How foolish I was. I left a perfectly amazing relationship because of a number (this is where I feel that pain of the kick in the ass I just gave myself coming on...)

Today, in this college world I live in, couples are getting engaged, married, and commonly date others that are older or younger than they are without care -- including myself. It took a while for me to realize that age is just a number -- it does not define who we are.

My roommate came in today complaining about a couple who was "young" and newly engaged after dating only a year. She too -- plays the age game (but she too -- is still young). It got me to thinking -- when truly does age matter when talking relationships, and who are we to judge others by their numbers?

To combat the numbers thought -- my mother always told me that you will never spend the rest of your life with that FIRST love. It rarely happens and every woman should expirience a broken heart before they can appreciate true love. I will agree -- this is probably 99.9% True (including myself) -- but more than a year ago I was a bridesmaid for my good friend who married her first and true love. It is possible -- and can happen.

So who are we to declare or substantiate how long a couple should date, who they marry, or how old they should be when they date --

The real statement here is this: Age is just a number, it does not determine who we are or what we will become. The numbers do not declare an appropriate time to date, live, or mature. What really matters is what's inside -- and that is all that matters!

(Boy I Sound Really Old Today.....)