life question: does one have to marry/be in a relationship later in life?

[hodot]

obviously i'm 16 and I have no way of predicting whether or not this will be the case, but i'm just curious what the collective view on this is on this site.

if i never married anyone/had no kids for my entire life, and only went to college and lived alone in like, a therapy practice or something (as therapy is my desired occupation), could i still be seen as successful? or is finding someone to share success with a part of being successful in and of itself?

[Ad Bot]

[King of the Bill]

I have no clue but I know that when you stop looking for it, sometimes it finds you.

[Nonnel]

no, that's just a societal construct. do what makes you happy. if you feel successful, then you are.

[Foxscotch]

nobody interested in your professional status cares about your personal life
however if you are planning to be a therapist, it would lead patients to put a little less faith in your romantic advice, if they knew about it

[Tactical Nuke]

I personally take the route of "I'll do it if it comes to that point, but I want to focus on my career above all else"

my personal concern with later life is starting a family
if getting married weighs you down, then kids are 20 anchors each

[PhantOS]

holy matrimony is a legal thing. marry someone you feel comfortable staying with for the next 20 years in exchange the tax deductions

relationships aren't meant to last more than like 5-7 years so just find someone you love and exhaust the chalkboard counting days. pretty soon you'll be sleeping on the couch

[Red Spy]

relationships aren't meant to last more than like 5-7 years

Of course the black guy says this

[PhantOS]

Of course the black guy says this

um sorry sweetie, love drive doesn't discriminate. white or black she'll eventually be disappointed and find a different man / start reading erotic novels before bed

[PhantOS]

the average marriage length before divorce is 8 years, so i'm kinda right

[cooolguy32]

No, it really depends on you, because it's your life (unless your parents are crazy and forces you to marry someone)

[Foxscotch]

the average marriage length before divorce is 8 years, so i'm kinda right

well no because less than half of marriages end in divorce

[Frequency]

um yea it's kind of the law???????????

[Master Matthew²]

um yea it's kind of the law???????????

Sharia law?

[Drydess]

if you love someone then i do suggest you marry them. however if you're the kind of guy who doesn't even love his own mother then you're cool on your own

[hodot]

if you love someone then i do suggest you marry them. however if you're the kind of guy who doesn't even love his own mother then you're cool on your own

i know that so far (again, i'm 16, this probably isn't indicative of anything) i've had trouble (and still do have trouble) determining what is an expression of emotion for me and what isn't, and what it means to actually appreciate someone, and whether or not i actually do.

i imagine it's a common struggle, though.