Speaking for me personally.....I battle with this everyday.
- My head tells me using logic, to spin plates only and not worry about the traditional lifestyle.
- Then there's another part of me that won't let the idea of the traditional lifestyle "die".
Do you have these same battles or is everything within you pretty straight-forward in terms of opting out of the traditional lifestyle?
Wow...this has been a thought of mine in the past few weeks.
I think some men, who WANTED that white picket fence, kids, etc. I desired that when I was in my mid-20s. I was in college, but getting ready to graduate.
SO many people, who met in college, got engaged...and...of course, married after they got their degrees. I would see tons of engagement rings or new wedding bands on min in their early 20s. (22/23). A lot of new marriages among the graduates.
Like musical chairs, I was the one left out apparently. Just didn't meet "the one" to marry. I think I was fawning over a female friend where I wanted more from her, (a few men were actually) but when she graduated, wound up moving in with her boyfriend and that was that.
I think men who wanted this traditional sitaution. The "nuclear" family as you would call it...are now kind of transitioning out of it as they get older. I started feeling this way approaching my mid to late 30s and now I'm almost in the finality of..., if I even get into a relationship...expect it to have a lifespan of a few years before SHE dumps me.
I say that, because most women tend to do the dumping moreso than men (same with divorcing). So it starts to get into the "I'll get what I can take...which is temporariy companionship.
Something CLOSE to marriage, but...not quite. There will even come times that if you're not having luck with women, and there's one woman that is willing to do the FWB, you're like, "Screw it...I'll go for it, better than nothing at all...with the way my luck's been going."
Plus, I am hearing more and more attitudes of modern day women not really needing men and the fact that you have to pull teeth to even get a lunch meat is trying.
Esp. the one recent liberal woman who was touted to seeing marriage as antiquated. That she actually prefers the freedom....but...temporary companionship is "nice once in a while."
I am still ,quite suprised that I keep seeing Millineal aged people getting married.
My friend, in his early 40s, divorced...tried flirting with an early 20s woman at one time. She said, "Sorry, I'm married" and was only married a year.
My own father, who was married 44 years, even told me I'm better off not getting married THESE days. Operative words "THESE DAYS". Even though I grew up in a nuclear family, he is even aware of the horrors of dating. Both my parents have friends that went through hellish divorces.
So when you have your own old-school father telling you this, something's up.