I?ve read every thread and, WOW, this is a crazy thread. Are they all this good? I may give-up GH to come see you guys in OT.
Personally I think everyone is about on the same page. Of course no one will admit it, and almost everyone is exaggerating their beliefs to show faults in someone else?s. The people that say age has nothing to do with it, obviously doesn?t want a 30 year old man banging their 10 year old sister/daughter whatever. And the people that say age has everything to do with it surly wouldn?t say that the aforementioned Douglas/Jones marriage is bad.
I think it all has to do with a combo of age and where you are going in life. First off you have to see if the person is old enough to be in the sort of situations that serious dating encompass. If that is OK then all is good in that area, granted there are some gray lines here when the two people are really young and quite frankly neither are old enough but that is another thread. Second, if the two people are headed in the same direction than maybe age differences should be over looked. In Douglas/Jones 25 years is a lot, but they are both professionals and both are in the ?same place? in there lives. However, an 18 year old and a 43 are not in the same place; same 25 years but different situations.
I think the deciding factor should be when they actually reach adulthood. Myself I was a late bloomer. I was in my middle to early 20s before I actually knew what I wanted from life. However I had several relationships, and even a couple of engagements, (glad those didn?t pan out). Some people are different, my young brother for example has been the same since he was 17-18, and he has never made any kind of change to adulthood (but he?s only 27, maybe he?s a really late bloomer!).
Now none of this holds to little High School dating. You are too young. Sure you think you are old enough, and maybe a couple of you are. But as the older ATers will tell you, you aren?t. Hell I thought I was old enough, but now looking back I can see very clearly I wasn?t. So if you are in HS and want to date, date someone your own age for convenience. It?s a lot easier than waiting for them to get off work at the factory or whatever, then trying to convince your folks that this 27 year old is what you have been waiting for your whole 16 - 17 years on this earth. Pick up a guy/girl from your class or close by and go have fun, wait until later to get serious.
KD
