Love 101

Recently, there has been an emerging trend in dating. It can be seen in the movies, at work, at the bar and even some parents are doing it.

All of a sudden, older men are dating younger women and older women are dating younger men. They say that there are advantages for dating someone younger than you are. And for some, the age difference is something that adds excitement and mystery to a relationship. But is it for everyone? Is it a good idea to consider robbing the cradle for love?

I dated a guy who was ten years older than me. Provided that I ended a perfectly good relationship over nothing, he was a wonderful man. He was kind, considerate and most importantly, established. He knew what he wanted and wasn’t into playing games. I look back at the time I spent with him and argue that it was the best relationship I’ve been in because of the fact the he wasn’t like guys my age.

For some people, dating someone younger helps them see the importance of youth and living in the moment. It’s not so much about feeling like you can be with someone younger because you can, but about realizing how wonderful youth is. But then again, there is something about being with someone who is older than you. You learn more about yourself and life than you expected and you learn from their mistakes whether it’s related to love or not.

I have several friends who are dating people older or younger than they are. And when I talk about age difference, I don’t mean a few months or years, I mean Katherine Zeta Jones/Michael Douglas difference. Now I am not saying that you need to go to jail to be with someone for the experience, nor am I saying that you have to pull an Anna Nicole for love. But what I am saying is that there is a lot to gain by dating outside your age bracket.

So the next time you wonder why someone “that” age could be with a person “your” age, look past the number and look at the person. Look at the person’s character, heart and intent. And regardless of how old he or she is, love can reach between generations.

Posted by Colonnade Archives on Oct 1 2004. Filed under Other. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry