tsatske
Posts: 2037
Joined: 3/9/2007 From: Louisville, KY Status: offline
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I married my dear first husband one week after my 18th birthday, our six month old daughter in attendance on her Aunt's lap, her younger brothers also in attendence, although it would be the next week, on our honeymoon, before i figured that out, commenting, 'gee, i thought the premarital jitters would go away after the wedding. And they always seem to be in the morning....' I have heard that comment 'But... but... He's old enough to be your father!' (actually, he was 5 years younger than my grandmother, so she would have had to start rather young for him to be anywhere near my father's age.) Now, I am a big fan of Miss Manners. And, while I was quite young, raising those four beautiful children and living in marital bliss, someone else wrote and asked Ms. Manners how to deal with that comment. And Ms. Manners said - when they say that, they are trying to make you feel guilty by implying a insestious relationship for you to be ashamed of, even though one does not exist. But, of course, since they are only implying it, they will deny it if called on it to bluntly. She said - call them on it anyway, but not so bluntly that they can deny their intention. Just look them strait in the eye and say, 'Yes, but i am soooo glad he isn't!' and watch them blush. On the converse, a few years ago, my master at that time and i, dated a young woman who happened to be the exact same age as my daughter. Now, i don't know how much i would have struggled with that, but... Her and my daughter were in the same year in college, albiet at different colleges in different states. But they had the same career asperations, and therefore the same major. And, oddly enough, the same minor. And, odder still, they occupied the same post, did the sqame duties, for the same extracurricular club. and... and... and.... and, yes, i found it sometimes challenging. But, the truth is, that young lady, (and my own daughter, as well) were adults who were perfectly capable of making their own choices, and i did not feel either choice was 'wrong'. I joked about it, i accepted it, and i moved on. I tried to treat her the way i would want someone to treat my own daughter - but that is the norm for me. When dating a woman, i try to behave in such a way that, if and/or when we must part, break up, whathaveyou, i will have marked their life permanently by raising their standards, so they know what kind of treatment they deserve to expect. Don't try to pretend it is not there - talk about it, joke about it. things surpressed tend to grow. But, really, it is as much of an issue as you make it.
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“If you never did you should. These things are fun and fun is good” ~Dr. Seuss quote
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