Playing "house"

As a little girl, I loved playing "house." What little girl doesn't? You pretend to be married, have a big house, babies, and pets. You make-believe everyday life situations - cooking dinner, shopping, birthday parties, celebrating holidays, playing with your children. This simple imaginary game of life can entertain little girls for hours. Even playing Barbies mimics this game of playing "house" but with smaller dolls as ourselves. When do these games end though?

I think of myself and my friends who have continued playing "house" into our adult years. We move in with boyfriends/girlfriends and our childhood imagination gets the best of us. I think too often women want that game to become a reality and when it doesn't result in marriage, they are heartbroken. I lived with someone before marriage and I swore I never would, but financial circumstances brought us together under one roof - it just made sense. I hear that all the time - "we moved in together, to save money." I agree, during these economic times it is smart to save money wherever you can.

After my experience failed, I am living on my own again, and you  know, I am loving it. Matt and I have our own houses and we are happy where we're at and our relationship. I am in no hurry to play "house" again until there is a ring on my finger and we've exchanged vows of a forever life promise of commitment. This is just my personal preference. It's not a religious thing. I know a lot of people who live together and aren't married. I cast no judgment upon them - it's simply a matter of choice. I've witnessed several friends' relationships result in heart ache and disappointment, including my own, that I just don't want to continue playing "house" - I want the real thing. This is all my own perspective of course. Everyone is entitled to their own and what's best for them individually.