Dating Versus Living Together

At some time in their life, everyone is single, even if for a short time, and once another person becomes part of your life the new relationship always takes a certain amount of work. While many things you go through when single may be the same for most people, there are some differences when it comes to people who have lost their spouse due to death.

Surprisingly some of the same emotions people experience when divorced are the same as someone who has lost their loved one to death. Many experience anger, a terrible sense of being lost, and other raw emotions.

Whatever the circumstances a person has been through will dictate how they feel and act when first starting to date. You’ve heard the word “baggage” before and everyone brings some of it with them. Depending on what their past is should make a difference in how patient you should be with your new partner.

So how do most people start a relationship today? In today’s society, a growing number of people are simply skipping the dating stage of courtship and moving right into the living together state. This could be a big mistake that can end up being very costly. Some go from a few dates or possibly a few dates before deciding to combine their households.

In many cases, young people take this move in order to combine expenses and have more money. This almost never works out! It takes time to get to know a person very well and moving in with them after a few weeks is not the best way to go about it.

Courting is very much a part of what helps couples get to know each other and it lets each party see what types of fun, foods, and lifestyles each like. There is nothing worse than letting a chemical attraction draw you into a relationship where you find you have absolutely nothing in common.

The dictionary quotes courting as a “wooing of one person by another”. Wikipedia states courtship is the time taken to see if the relationship warrants going further, such as an engagement.

There is more to a relationship than sex and it’s important to get to know one another in every way. What are their likes, what are their religious beliefs, and why did their last relationship end? Conversation is a huge part of getting to know someone on a deep level. Once you truly get to know them, the attraction you felt for them deepens even more.

Living together too early tends to make people not treat you with as much respect. Usually, there are no more “dates”, or fun things to do because you simply stay in and watch TV. This may be fun but does not help create that conversational mood you need to continue learning about each other.

You need to enjoy the courtship while getting to know each other. Separate places leave you with an easier way to get out of the relationship should you choose to do so and a safer atmosphere if the person you’ve been dating is not the person you thought they were living apart.

Remember you don’t owe anyone anything but kindness in this world and it’s important to move into a new relationship at a slow but steady pace. Date first and you will have more control over how the relationship progresses.