Too young

My old friend's 18-year-old sister is engaged, right out of high school. I assume it's close enough to the actual wedding, too, because the honeymoon is going to be in Greece (did they win the lottery?). At first I thought my friend was the one getting married (my age), since she just bought a house with her boyfriend, but no. Seriously? I think that is a horrible idea at 18. I mean, if I married anyone then I'm pretty sure we would be divorced by now, since I have changed so much. Granted, we all change throughout our lives, but that time between high school and mid-20's is probably the biggest adjustment of all, when we're out experimenting and "finding ourselves."

I mentioned this engagement to my sister, since they used to be in the same class, and she just kind of laughed and told me that she convinced one of her friends not to propose to his girlfriend sometime last school year. Her friend and his girlfriend are just now coming up on their one year anniversary and the past 6 months have been on-again off-again too many times to count. Then she said something like, "Well, I don't know enough about [so-and-so's] relationship. They might really love each other." That's a nice sentiment, yes, and that is probably true, but that does not always equal marriage, especially at that age. I don't think you can really know enough about yourself and who/what you want in your life before you've experienced a multitude of other things and people outside of high school. I thought I was pretty self-aware and mature in high school (and I was, to an extent), but that awareness and maturity has increased exponentially since then.

Actually, it might seem counter-intuitive (or not), but it could be that combination of self-awareness and maturity that kept me from committing to any particular person for so long. I not only know myself well, I tend to know other people pretty well, whether they realize it or not. Mix that with a strong dose of intuition and you get a girl that sees the end before she has given the beginning much of a chance. If I already knew it wouldn't last beyond a few months, I figured I'd save myself the heartbreak and baggage (and time) by not getting too involved. Was that the way to go? I don't know, I am admittedly biased; but, at the same time, I am relatively unharmed and stable because of it. To each his own, I suppose.