I am the most aware of my age when I’m listening to the radio.

Jason Derulo has a new song out. If you haven’t heard it, it’s called “Marry Me.” I would post a link but I really just don’t feel that it’s worth your time to listen. The lyrics go something like this:

And you know one of these days when I get my money right
Buy you everything and show you all the finer things in life
We’ll forever be in love, so there ain’t no need to rush
But one day, I won’t be able to ask you loud enough

*Sigh* I cringe to think of how many women listen to this song and think to themselves, “Oh, yes! He will marry me when he gets his finances in order and when the time is right. We’re in love and we always will be so I can wait for the commitment from him. Our love is stronger than some old-fashioned marriage bond.”

Freddy and I broke up before getting back together and getting married. We took the time to grow apart from one another but do you know what Freddy told me when we got back together? He told me that he didn’t want to waste any more time. He told me that he wanted to marry me and that when you know you want to marry someone, you do it as soon as you can. He says that you want everyone to know that you are committed to that person and can’t imagine another day without them.

A lot more romantic than Jason Derulo, isn’t it?

I think the problem can be explained by another popular song that’s out right now, this one by Zedd. It’s called “Stay the Night” and the lyrics are as follows:

“Are you gonna stay the night? Doesn’t mean we’re bound for life.”

See, I think the reason men think it’s appropriate to sing about postponing marriage when they’re “so in love” is because women are telling them that they can get all the benefit of marriage without those commitments.

Somewhere along the line, women got it into our heads that we wanted to be more like men. Respected like men. Feared like men. Tough. But what a sad twist when our actions of strength actually became the acts of weakness, confirming that we are not worth fighting for, not worth marrying, not worth committing to.

I know I sound old when I say things like this but it weighs on my heart when I listen to the radio. I think of broken hearts and broken homes and I change the channel to something more uplifting.

Maybe if enough of us do it, they’ll put something worthwhile on the radio, eh? 😉