role reversal
I'm 25. My boyfriend is two years older than I, and we've been dating for six years. He was (and is) my first serious boyfriend. As a beau, he's done everything right: He's gentle, caring, attentive, supportive. He tells me he loves me every day. We almost never fight. We have the same religious views. My parents like him. Etc, etc.
Recently he's begun dropping hints about marriage. It makes perfect sense and almost everyone we know believes it to be long overdue for us. But after thinking it through for a couple days I am absolutely astounded to realize that I don't want to get married. I can't think of a single good reason, except that I just don't. Sure, I'd love to move in with him, and be his partner forever...I just don't want to get married. I don't want a ring. I don't want a ceremony. I don't want a license. I just want to continue the way we are right now.
And I feel like an utter freak. My feelings appear to be the exact opposite of any other young woman my age. Digging through various forums it seems that most young men my age can sympathize, and here and there I read claims that in this day and age fewer people are actually getting married, but I'm not hearing first-hand accounts about that from anyone.
At this point, the boyfriend has more or less asked for an engagement by Christmas and I'm preparing to tell him that I don't feel ready, which sounds absolutely ludicrous given our lengthy history. I don't know what else to say. I don't know why I feel this way.
Sigh.
Recently he's begun dropping hints about marriage. It makes perfect sense and almost everyone we know believes it to be long overdue for us. But after thinking it through for a couple days I am absolutely astounded to realize that I don't want to get married. I can't think of a single good reason, except that I just don't. Sure, I'd love to move in with him, and be his partner forever...I just don't want to get married. I don't want a ring. I don't want a ceremony. I don't want a license. I just want to continue the way we are right now.
And I feel like an utter freak. My feelings appear to be the exact opposite of any other young woman my age. Digging through various forums it seems that most young men my age can sympathize, and here and there I read claims that in this day and age fewer people are actually getting married, but I'm not hearing first-hand accounts about that from anyone.
At this point, the boyfriend has more or less asked for an engagement by Christmas and I'm preparing to tell him that I don't feel ready, which sounds absolutely ludicrous given our lengthy history. I don't know what else to say. I don't know why I feel this way.
Sigh.