They say that age is just a number. What they fail to mention is what that number represents. Aside from how many physical years you’ve been alive, age symbolizes maturity, experience, and where you are in life’s journey. When you’re dating, there’s quite the controversy over who should date who at a certain age, but what about once you’re already in a relationship?
My parents were 10 years apart when they got married. Granted, the marriage didn’t last but that was for reasons other than age. Once you’ve reached the point of “settling down,” age really doesn’t matter. However, many believe that because girls mature earlier and faster than boys, women tend to work better with older men. Whether or not this is true is up to you, but it might explain why the age gap doesn’t matter as much once we’re older.
The way I see it, age difference for those in relationships is not an issue. People who label themselves as “committed” tend to be older by default, ready to get married and start a family, or at least to stick it out until then. At this point, both partners have similar goals despite the fact that they may be at different levels of life experience. For younger people, this doesn’t apply. A 19 year old entering college is not going to have the same goals, values, and attitudes as a 29 year old looking for a spouse.
If you find yourself in a relationship where your man is older (or younger) and his life path is tearing you apart, then maybe it’s a sign that you’re better off trying to establish a solid commitment at another time. Love is absolutely a crucial element in a relationship, but so is practicality.
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Le Moyne chapter.