The Perfect Time

Lately there has been a lot of talk with friends about timing in relationships. How soon before you can call someone your boy/girlfriend? When is the right time say the 3 magical words? How early is too early to move in together? What about the perfect time to pop the question or how long to be engaged for before getting married? All across the country people are faced with these questions and are turning to friends and the internet for answers. Then this morning I came across this post on Facebook and read the outrageous, hilarious and just down right mean comments I knew I had to blog about it!

Most of the comments were people in shock that this couple would get engaged so quickly and a few others were people defending and actually congratulating them. But, what can you really expect when you let the public give their opinion? Of course everyone is entitled to sharing their two cents, but what I'm curious to know is, if it's really fair game for people to judge on someone else's relationship timeline, or if this 'relationship timeline' really exists at all?

I know a number of people who set timelines in relationships, anywhere from not giving up the cookies until 15 dates, or 90 calendar days, whichever comes first, to not wanting to get engaged/married anytime before 35. But who defines these things? And more importantly WHY define these things? There is no magical rule book that says that you should wait 'X' amount of days or years before taking your relationship to a certain level. Shouldn't everything be based on feelings? At least, I think so. I think that as society we put rules and time limits on when and how things can happen, and with that, we begin to limit ourselves and close off certain possibilities that could take us somewhere we never imagined. I'm not saying any of this to say sleep together on the first date or run and get married ASAP -- but simply, remain open-minded and allow yourself to throw those imaginary rules out of the window and open your heart! I'm all about having an equal balance of how your heart makes you feel and what your mind says is right... for YOU! There is always going to be someone chiming in with something negative to say, and usually those are the single unhappy or bitter ones!

So hey, if your guy proposes after 6 months and your heart says that you are meant to be, then go for it. I mean, kudos to this guy for knowing what he wanted, stepping up to the plate and doing what a lot of women have been waiting 10+ years for their man to do and some women will never see in a lifetime -- he proposed and made a commitment to her! Plus, who's to say they won't be engaged for 2 or more years before walking the aisle. To them I say, congratulations, keep loving and learning one another and prove everyone wrong by making it last!