Let me start off by saying: Hello, how are you? Hopefully, you're having a great day :) I've recently found this community and am glad that I joined.

My parents have gotten married over 25 years ago, mom had my brother at 21 to keep my dad from running off with other women, mom treats my dad like a child who can't do anything for himself, and at the end of the day they married because they told me when I was 14 that "they didn't have a choice". I scratched my head because they both did have many choices. My parents do love each other but not in a mature way I would say. My mom cooks, cleans, and doesn't work for money. My dad is the one with a 9-5 job and he often puts my mom down because she doesn't work for money even though she likes being a homemaker only. Good god. I cringe.

I checked up on my parents recently and it saddens me to know that nothing changes and it will never change. When I was a teenager (currently in my mid-20's), I thought their relationship was healthy and meaningful and over the years I realized that it wasn't. FDS handbook confirmed that.

Apart from that, I've been reflecting on how over the years I've felt bad about myself because I never gravitated towards being in a relationship. I forced myself to be one in the past because I saw how my friends have gotten engaged and married and my extended family members have looked at me strangely and looked down at me when they learned that I didn't have a partner. I stopped feeling this way around six months ago and stopped giving a damn what others think about me and my life.

Anyways, just wanted to share my thoughts :)