glitter and gravel

Warning: this post is poorly written and is just me expressing a few thoughts (aka babbling).

As I read through my Facebook timeline or my Twitter feed, I see the same thing over and over and over again: “in a relationship,” “want to be in a relationship,” and so on and so on.

And let me be honest, if I may. I don’t care who you are dating, who you want to date, or who you just broke up with. That’s your business. But when you announce it on social media websites, however, it becomes MY business.

From the time we are very young we are bombarded with love stores (even in most animated children’s movies there is a love story of some sort). And that’s all fine! I don’t think there’s anything wrong with showing children how people can be affectionate and how we are designed to fall in love and join our lives with someone else.

But that’s where it gets a little tricky.

You see if dating is designed as a way to figure out if you want to marry someone or not, when does this process begin? 

Half (or more) of the “in a relationship” statuses I see on Facebook (or Twitter) are from children (I’m talking 16 and under)—people who are way too young to be thinking about marriage, as most (okay, all) of them haven’t even finished high school.

Why are these parents letting their BABIES start dating at 12 and 13 years old (and even younger)?!  If these kids hadn’t been so greatly influenced (by tv, movies, peers), they would probably be content in just having friendships until their upper teenage years (or even older).  We see SO much of this that our minds think the sooner we find “the one,” the happier we will be.  Because of this, I think they are “forced” to jump into a relationship with someone just because it means that they are “in a relationship” and therefore cool (no more Facebook “single” status).

And maybe they have met the one who they will be with for the rest their lives. But how much greater would it be if they could just get to know each other and love each other as FRIENDS for a few years before taking that next step? How much greater would it be if they could stop being in a relationship and start having a relationship?