<p>I was engaged to a guy I met Freshman year in college but then, after college, I started working in NYC and having a blast with all sorts of new and interesting people. Broke off the engagement (not easy at all!), dated many different men for about 5 or 6 years, started dating my husband around 28, lived together for about 5 years until I was about 34 when we realized we wanted to get married to have kids. My daughter was born 10 months after we married, 10 days after I turned 35. We’re married 18 years now and doing just fine thank you very much!</p>
<p>Would my first engagement have lasted? Who knows, but I would never give up those years in the city when I was free to discover who I was and what I wanted. Knowing that I had the ability to live on my own, to support myself, etc. made me a stronger and better person, spouse, and parent I think.</p>