Wait, how old?
I turn 23 this month and I'm practically having a nervous breakdown that I'll wake up with grey hair the morning of my birthday. Does it work like that? Can that happen? Gah.
I've been watching a lot of crap TV lately, because Jeremy Kyle makes me feel better about my life and there's nothing wrong with that, right? One night I found myself curled up watching 'She's 78, He's 39' (thank you channel 5 programming)...
Generally I like to think of myself as pretty open minded, but I did find myself being unfairly judgemental towards these people... 68 year old Joan with her giant fake boobs with her partner of 18 months, 29 year old Phil. Then this 16 year old kid with a 45 year old lover. Is she taking advantage of this naive teenager? What did his mum say!
It really is an eye-opening programme, especially considering that I just can't imagine myself in that situation. Generally, I find guys any more than say two years below my own age are almost impossibly immature. Imagine being 45 and with a 16 year old? Surely you both want completely different things from life? Aren't you both in different positions, with different needs?
I found out recently a friend from my work has a 14 year age gap between her and her older partner, who has two kids from a previous marriage. I can honestly say, having known this couple for years I was totally unaware the age gap was so big. Their relationship works, there's 5 years proof of that under their belt.
After developing a bit of a crush on someone 10 years my senior it got me seriously wondering. I just can't see (personally) how a fully functioning relationship, where both of you are getting what you want from life could work when there is such a large age gap? I take my hat off to the people in this programme - the stigma attached to age gap love is awful and I know watching the programme I even judged them but the reality is, who gives a fuck. No-one knows how your relationship works other than you, and your other half. Maybe there is a physical age gap, but as my friend says her partner seems to think mentally, he's still 21... The fact is that these couples are happy. Who are we to judge?
I guess the saying is true, age is just a number. When it comes to it you can't help who you fall in love with. Grey hairs, and all.
Are you in an age gap relationship?
Would you?
'She's 78, He's 39: Age Gap Love' is still available to watch here on Channel 5 Player.
x
images courtesy mirror.co.uk & channel5
Wow, that is some age gap! I'm going to have to watch the program later and see what it's all about, I love being nosy at programs like that haha. I'll probably find it hard not to judge too - the one I find most shocking is the 16 year old with the 45 year old. Surely a 16 year old doesn't even know what they want yet? I definitely didn't when I was 16! And my wants/needs have certainly changed as I've grown older and gone through different experiences. I never imagined I'd date someone younger than me, and I hadn't done until I met Mark. People are surprised when I tell them Mark is a year and a half younger than me. I'd always had the same opinion - younger guys are immature. And most of them are! But there are a few genuinely lovely ones out there :) we're not so far apart in age that we're at different places in our lives. We're both where we want to be, with who want to be, heading where we want to go! xxx
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