I've "dated" several guys and have never experienced any of those things with them to the extent that I experienced them in my marriage.
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Alright, well I've been involved in 2 serious relationships and with both of them I've had most of what you listed.
With the first, I was still pretty young, after 5 years of dating I don't think I knew myself well enough to know if she knew me better than anyone else or not. Otherwise I'd say that I had all of those things in my first relationship.
With the second, I was much more mature and can say that after a couple of years I really did have everything you listed.
As for living with someone... Other than a persons own reservations, I don't really see any reason that you can't spend all of your free time with someone outside of marriage. Certainly spending the night in bed together isn't a valid option, but I don't think that's what you were referring to in the first place.
As for the OPs question... I'd say the only real difference between a serious relationship and a marriage is the vow. Assuming both parties take their vow seriously, you end up with someone that you know will be there through thick and thin. That vow makes a lot of things that Juli mentioned a lot easier. However marriage certainly doesn't guarantee those things. Likewise, I've seen that the trust required to achieve those can be achieved outside of marriage. Which leaves the only guaranteed difference still only being sex.
I'm just starting to wonder if that really is just the main reason I want to get married. I mean would that just mean I just think of women as sex toys or something like that? I mean I do love the thought of having constant companionship and never being alone(most of the time), having someone to talk to. But I do think there is a part of me that wants sex more than the other stuff. Basically, I'm wondering if that's wrong. Well I'm also worried that I won't be to treat a woman right, but that's a diffrent topic and I want to take care of this part 1st.
Maybe it's just the context. When I think about the word "girlfriend", it speaks of a very immature relationship, like the ones people have in high school and college, you know?
At my age, it's more like friends ----> dating -----> commitment time. In order for me to consider a relationship to be a "serious" one, the word "fiance" is involved.Perhaps that's where the confusion lies.
I'm old. haha If a guy were to call me his girlfriend, I wouldn't take him seriously.
It means you just blew your chances with every girl on this website.
On a more serious note, if there is a topic that you want to get off of your mind... starting threads about it is going to have the opposite effect. This is something that you need to commit to the Lord in prayer, in a very serious way. "Casting all of your cares upon Him, for He cares for you."
On a more serious note, if there is a topic that you want to get off of your mind...
Actually the thoughts have gone back to normal(As far as being a guy goes) Seems like it's linked to how lonely I am at the time.
btw, I can tell you guys for sure now that I won't be marrying just for sex.
Seems like it's linked to how lonely I am at the time.