I knew a woman who was 42. She was dating a man who was 26, (they had dated for a few years, I think he might have been 24 or 25 at the start.) She swore up and down that they were soul mates and he just knew how to take care of her in ways her previous husbands of her own age never did. That he just "got her" and was spiritually on the same level.

Her own sons were 20 and 19 at the time.

I thought it was odd, but said nothing. I was thinking "Sure, you never know, I guess." Well, not long after I met them he freaked out, became very abusive and had to be physically removed from her home by one of her sons. He then went back to his previous girlfriend who was in her 20s, never to be heard from again. Today this woman, who was in such a relationship says "Yes, age does matter quite a bit. You can be blinded by love but as time goes on the relationship just falls apart because you're in different places."

Relationships are hard enough without adding to it, but everyone has the right to make their own choices and mistakes.