I’ve been mulling over this lately and wanted to discuss with you guys. My first relationship started when I was 18 and he was 21. By the time he was 25 he wanted to marry but I wanted to study further and 22 seemed just too young to settle down.

So eventually we broke up because I didn’t see myself getting married until 28-29 at least and he didn’t want to wait that long.

My question is that if he had waited, I would have been labelled the forever girlfriend and so many people would have assumed he’s stringing me along. Sometimes it’s the woman who doesn’t want to marry too young. I don’t think marriage has ever been a priority for me.

While I understand that most men string women along for years and marry the next woman within 6 months, perhaps the thing that is required for a good long lasting relationship sometimes is patience and wait until someone is ready. Especially when you commit so young. Is marriage the only logical conclusion of a relationship for most people?