Marriage is a beautiful union between a man and a woman, it is widely celebrated in every community and by people from every walk of life. Marriage age is a discussion that has been around with the question of when is the time right and when does it become too late.
In my opinion, there is nothing like too late but there is too early. Before the introduction of education that was brought by colonial rulers, girls at the early age of 13 would be married off by their fathers in exchange for cattle.
When a girl was known to be able to reproduce she was known to be mature enough for marriage. Times have passed and a 13-year-old today in our country would not be considered mature enough for marriage. The undying truth is that this practice is very much alive in some parts of our world.
The modern woman today has grown her independence financially leading to a majority not needing a man for provisions. This has created a gap from the past when women would be married only to bear children.
Reports have recently shown that women are choosing to be child-free and also get married after they have achieved their dreams and goals. A recent talk got me agitated when the comment of women losing their marital value after 30 came up.
The thought that a woman’s value can be measured by their age astonished me. What value is this that we as women are measured up to? A statement that we are no longer desirable enough for marriage when we clock 30. Women above 35 are known to be more corporate intelligent and also work better compared to 20somethings.
Women in their 30s are known to also be more emotionally intelligent and adaptive to drastic changes in their lives. As a 20-something-year-old the thought of my value depreciating the more I got older did not sit well with me. A man’s opinion of your value should not be one to make you insecure of your age.
As a young woman who is finally understanding the world and trying to navigate through it, do not be fazed by what other people think. Your value is evaluated by who you are and how you choose to live your life. Make smart decisions that will lead to your growth.
It’s okay to get married at 21 and it’s still okay if you choose to at 40 marriage is a chapter you go into all alone and make that choice when you are ready. Marriage should be a union of happiness and love between a man and a woman of any age. Age should not be a boundary that hinders love.
