When I was in my teens, for some reason I always pictured myself marrying not so young, but "older", perhaps at age 27. But there was nothing and nobody on the horizon for me at age 27.
My father kept gently reminding me, "You need mazel [luck]. We all need mazel."
Well, I got married a few months after I turned 32. I was no longer "older," as I thought I'd be when I married... I was -- plain and simple -- old!
But thank G-d children came soon enough and I was an older mom with young children...presumably to keep me young!
I am nearing my 45th birthday. And as I look back on the dating -- relatively little -- I did before I snagged the right one for me -- I realize that marrying at 32 wasn't really old. Okay, so my two closest friends already had one or two children and had been married for several years, but I always say that G-d saved the best for last and I also loved to spout, "Good things come to those who wait."
I waited...and I was blessed -- with a wonderful spouse, who is also a magnificent father to our children...and just a really nice person.
Some people I hung out with in my later single years have not even yet married...and they're now in their late 40's and early 50's. And some of those people who married 5 and 7 years before me, or even 2 and 3 years after me are now undergoing divorces or already have received a "get".
It may have taken me time to find the right person for me; it took them time to find out that the person they thought was the "right person," was indeed the "wrong person."
I think I ought to amend my post title from It Takes Time to It Takes Time...and MAZEL!
(This post was inspired by a beautiful story I just finished reading on www.aish.com.)
