Leaving the party at 8:00

If I had a dollar for every time I've heard someone say, "getting married at 22 years old is like leaving the party at 8:00p.m.," I would never have to work another day in my life. Seriously... I'm over it. That's why I've decided to address this topic today.

The age right after college is such a dangerous time. It's my opinion that a lot of girls feel pressure to get married right after they graduate, and there's several reasons for that. First of all, they think that once they graduate, how will they meet anyone else? They could be comfortable in a relationship that, in all honesty, could be completely pointless... but all their friends are getting married and it just seems like the next step. Or, they could just be unwilling to wait for God's best because they want to be married now, not later.

So, because of all these things, I understand why people are hesitant to get married at a young age. HOWEVER... this is not always the case.

I work with the public at a travel agency in Charlotte, N.C. so I have the opportunity to interact with all kinds of people with different backgrounds, stories, opinions, and perspectives. It's one of my favorite parts of my job, really, because I love people. Last week, a man and woman came in who were approaching their 48th wedding anniversary. They ride a motorcycle with an attached side car all over the country and truly seem more like 25 year olds than 70 year olds. They got married at 19 and 20, and granted, things were a little different then, just like they were when my grandparents were of that age, but their perspective on marriage resonated with me in a way that I will never forget.

Their next trip was up north for a wedding, which of course, led to the conversation of my recent marriage. The man asked me how old I am and when I responded with "22," I braced myself for a comment about how "that's awful young," or some other comment I've heard a thousand times.

Instead, he said, "good for you," and I'm sure my jaw dropped. That's when they led into their story about how they got married at such a young age and have never regretted it a day since. They said that of course, there had been hard times as well as good times, but that they wouldn't have changed a thing. He shared with me his opinion that if you wait until you're "ready," you'll never be ready. It was so refreshing to see a couple at that age, more in love than ever, who did what they knew was right at the time God told them to do it, not when the world told them was acceptable, and have never looked back.

So, sure... I guess getting married at 22 is a lot like leaving the party at 8:00p.m.

if you're going to a super awesome after party with your best friend.