Back in the olden days, there was a sense of community and extended family empowerment that enabled young men to pursue marriage early. They were confident in the knowledge that they would be fully supported in every way by their immediate and extended family.
Nowadays, this sadly seldom exists. Families are more nuclear. Parents are often unable to support their adult children as well as themselves and extended families are exactly that - extended far away with little or no discernible influence on the nuclear family.
That basically means that modern day young couples who choose to marry, are on their own! They shouldn't expect any bail outs and must be ready to hustle to make the necessary sacrifices- both financially and in terms of maturity - to make things work.
Any person without a job or any regular source of income should first fix their financial situation before engaging love at any serious level. They should first figure out how they plan to support the love that they so esteem?
This, I think, among other reasons was why a "bride price" was and still is mandatory in many cultures across the globe. It basically shows unambiguously that the person seeking to marry can support that marriage reasonably.
Of course this practice doesn't exist in the West, and in this age of women's rights, this definitely is not a practice that is esteemed. However, it still rings true that before entering marriage, one must be responsible and count the cost.
It might sound harsh, but its rationally true. You don't have to be rich; you just have to have a steady source of income that can reasonably support you and together with your partner, live gainfully.
This goes for both men and women. We are in a new dispensation; women are expected to work and contribute just like men. Being a "kept woman" is a luxury that only a few can afford.
We often overlook just how much money or its lack thereof causes conflicts within marriages. Money-related conflicts are frequently cited as a reason for divorce.
So, if you feel like you are ready to take love to the next level; stop and ask yourself: Can I afford Love?
