the waiting game?

Here's an interesting USA Today article, assuming you're able to get past the somewhat awkwardly worded headline: "Sooner vs. later: Is there an ideal age for first marriage?"

It discusses something that's come up before on this blog -- the idea of setting an age deadline for when you'd like to be married.

In certain cases, I don't understand such deadlines. Like the girls who want to be engaged by the time they're done with college. I really think that goal deprives you of the personal growth you get from tackling the real world alone for your first year or so out of school.

I don't think you should use the deadline to settle, or prematurely move a relationship to a level of seriousness it doesn't deserve.

Still, I think once you get into a long-term relationship, it's fine to say, "I want us to be married in two years." Or whatever.

Does that make things to business-like? Maybe. But staying on cruise control without discussing an ultimate destination seems to often set one partner up for disappointment.

Thoughts?