I’m not entirely sure if there are specific criteria that dictate the length of time during which a relationship is considered long-term. Personally, I figure if the relationship has exceeded a few years it can be considered long-term, but, like I said, I am unsure if there is a certain length of time to exceed in order to be considered long-term.
I’ve been with my husband for over ten years now, married for almost two. I met him when I was 19, and he was 20. Looking back, we were definitely a bit different in terms of what we thought we wanted in life, careers, etc. compared to now, but I don’t perceive the change that has occurred over time to be a negative one; rather, the complete opposite.
I’ve been told that I’ve been mature from a young age, but my husband, like most young men, certainly was not parallel with my own level of maturity when I met him, nor is it really comparable now. But, I think this is a strength between us; if I’m getting riled up over something, Blaine can almost always calm me down by doing something goofy, and I’m grateful our differences often balance each other out.
It’s almost astounding to consider how much we have both matured over the course of our relationship. Things we once thought to be important are now, we realize, more materialistic than anything, and in time, we have come to understand what truly matters between us, and what doesn’t. I like to think we are simple people, living simple lives, and finding joy and beauty in the small things is something we both enjoy.
We laugh about the things we used to fight over because we now acknowledge how truly ridiculous some of our past quarrels were, and I think the maturity that can develop in long-term relationships is quite beautiful.
Photo by gaspar zaldo on Unsplash
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