Too Young? Too Old?

I went to get my hair cut yesterday. When my stylist found out that I was married and had a baby her reply was, “But you are so young. Too young to be a wife and mom.”
As I was driving home I was thinking about that statement; some people I have come in contact with may completely agree with that. It’s not the first time I’ve heard that I was too young to “give up my life.” Others I know would completely disagree. Many times during college I was told that I was “getting old.” After hearing these words I started thinking about my own feelings on this statement.

I have come to realize that age is a very subjective thing. Someone that I know who is 20 may seem far older than another I know who is 30. How can you possibly name an age that is universally right for getting married or having a child? Who is to be the judge of when it is acceptable to find that person that makes you feel complete? Plus there are so many things that go on behind the scenes that everyone else around is unaware of. You can’t judge what you cannot completely understand. I will admit that being at BYU there have been times I’ve thought “Wow you are so young,” but quickly realized my flawed thinking when I compaired the age I married my husband to the rest of the world’s expectations. Personally, I find it sad that there are people out there who put off marriage because they are “too young” (whether that be 20 or 40). I also find it sad that others are judged when they haven’t been able to find the one they want to spend their lives with.

I don’t believe that life ends when you get married. If anything I felt like that is when it truly began. Marriage allows you to start that journey developing endless memories with the one who makes you more happy than anything in the world. Why would you not want to find that one who is always there to make you laugh, to lift you up, to wipe your tears, to accept you 100% for who you are--your quirks, your fears, your deepest thoughts, your dreams?!? I pray I will be alive for our 50th Anniversary when we can look back with gratitude for all the time we were blessed to share with one another.
I believe that starting your family goes by the same principle. Each couple has their own time line that feels right to them; age doesn’t have a baring. Some feel good about having children right away, others feel best with waiting. Most the time we have no idea what they had to go through to get to the point they are at to have children. Again, I don’t think it’s right to say too young or too old.
I don’t know if 22 was too young, or too old to get married. I don’t know if 24 was too young, or too old to start our family. For me it was all too perfect.