I'm fully expecting to get flamed for this, and I know a lot will probably say if they're both happy then what's the problem, but I just wondered if I was alone in thinking this...
So, a friend of mine started seeing a new guy earlier in the summer and has recently gone 'Facebook official'. In a lot of ways I'm happy for her, as she's someone who struggles with being on her own and has had a lot of negative experiences with men up to this point.
But then she told me more about this chap. He's 60, and she's 32...so close to double her age. She's said before how she's not interested in having kids and so age isn't a deal-breaker for her, but I still feel a bit uneasy about it. I don't know, the knowledge that he's a similar age to her dad and would've been in his 30s when she was just a baby feels a bit...unnatural in some ways?
I'll profess to being particularly sensitive to age gap relationships. 5 or 10 year difference, I have no problem with. But 20, 25 or 30-year difference is when I start to feel uneasy. And a reason for that is that as a family we've experienced something similar, in that many years ago now, my sister got involved (in her 20s) with a not-particularly pleasant man who is around my dad's age. It has resulted in a lot of family tension, particularly for my mum, who really struggled to accept it.
My friend knows about this family history and admitted to being a little bit worried about how I'd react to her new relationship. So far, I've kept a lid on my true feelings and just said that I'm happy that she's happy. But secretly, I can't help but wonder what she's really doing with a man who is so much older.