Part of the reason my relationship broke down was the inbalance between his need for me to be with him and my need for alone time. We never found the balance until he move out.

I think people need to rethink relationships in the sense of all or nothing. In this day and age when people can economically live alone I wonder why people are so quick to co-habitate. When children enter the picture then yes, co-habitate if you can but even then I know from experience that children can do just as well without their parents living together as they can with them living apart so long as they know and feel the love.

Honour yourself Junerain. Take time to make up your own mind based on your own needs and best interests. There is more then one way to do most everything including maintaining a lasting, loving relationship with someone.

I am in my 50's now and I can tell you there are many of my generation who are discovering new ways to maintain long term monogomous relationships without living together. It seems like the best of both worlds to me. Especially for the woman!!

Consider all of your options. Don't fall into something to please someone else or because it is the norm. Be your own woman. Find out what you really want and need and honour it. Please yourself first. If you don't you will soon find out how much more painful the lonliness inside a relationship can be. I lived it and it isn't pretty.

Break tradition and hold yourself above all else and everyone else.