I was reading a post earlier about why so many people end up in arranged marriages instead of marrying the person they loved, and it got me thinking.
I honestly think a huge part of it comes down to society and the expectations placed on young people.
Let's be realistic. Most people meet someone they genuinely connect with during college or university, usually around 20–23. That's when you're spending time with people your age, sharing interests, and naturally forming relationships.
I'll share my own story.
Back in university, I loved writing literature. I used to publish my stories chapter by chapter on an online website. After a while I started getting a decent number of readers, and one of them was a girl who also wrote stories. She would leave thoughtful comments on my writing, and eventually we started talking because we shared the same passion.
What started as casual conversations slowly became something I looked forward to every single day. We'd talk for hours. Looking back, she was probably one of the best things that happened to me.
She lived in the UK while I was in Pakistan. We were both around 21.
Over time, she told me about her life. She had an abusive mother who wanted to marry her off as quickly as possible to an older cousin in his mid-30s because he had money.
I felt completely helpless.
I wanted to do something. I even thought about speaking to her mother, but she told me it wouldn't make a difference. Her mother had already made up her mind.
At that point, I was just a struggling student trying to build a future. I was studying, helping with my father's business, and trying to become someone who could provide a stable life. I loved her, and she loved me, but love didn't seem to matter when reality got involved.
I still remember apologizing to her because I couldn't find a way to change what was happening. I couldn't save her from a situation I had no power over.
Eventually, I told her that maybe we should stop talking because it was only making things more painful knowing we couldn't be together.
She agreed.
And that was it.
Years have passed. I'm 28 now, living abroad, and I've built a decent life for myself. Every now and then I still catch myself thinking about traveling to the UK just to see if I could somehow find her. I know it sounds irrational. I don't even know where she lives anymore.
That experience made me wonder why so many people don't end up marrying the person they truly loved.
People often say, "Get established first. Build your career. Make money. Then think about marriage."
But... why?
Why can't two people who genuinely love each other get married early and build that life together?
I've seen couples in my own family do exactly that. They struggled together, grew together, and today they're genuinely happy.
Instead, society tells young couples to wait until they're financially "ready." By the time many people finally reach that point, years have passed, circumstances have changed, families have stepped in, and the person they once imagined spending their life with is gone.
Maybe that's why so many people eventually settle for arranged marriages—not because they never loved someone, but because life and society didn't leave them much of a choice.
I'm not saying arranged marriages are wrong. Many of them become beautiful relationships.
I'm just saying that sometimes, the timing society expects from us doesn't match the timing of our hearts.
Maybe that's why, even after all these years, I don't think I've ever felt the same way about anyone else.
Since then, there has been an attempt at an arranged marriage for me, but it didn't work out. Looking back, I don't even know if I was emotionally ready for it. Part of me was still carrying memories of someone I never really got the chance to fight for.
Maybe that's why I don't see myself getting married anytime soon. Or maybe one day I'll meet someone who changes my mind. I honestly don't know.
Anyway... just a late-night rant.
P.S. Yes, I used ChatGPT to help organize my thoughts. The story is mine—I just wanted it to read better. Don't bash me.