Is your man marriage material

It's been a year now and I have to say, being married is a beautiful life experience. I wondered what made me fall in love with this phase of life, and I could think of nothing but the man with whom I share my life.

Sure, you and your partner connect well and are totally in love! You know his deepest secrets and you've let him know yours as well. But is that it? I've always wondered if the man a woman dates is the one she will marry as well. And at last I grew to accept the fact that not all men are "marriage material".

Trust me; a great boyfriend is not someone who will also make for a great hubby. His love for games, costly gifts and romantic poems, might not automatically end in a 'happily married' note. So watch out! The sooner you find this out, the better, because it will really prevent a lot of confusion and heartache later.

Just as I was writing this piece, my best friend called me to share her relationship woes. She has been in a relationship for 3 long years and is now wondering if she still has it for him. At first I was furious at her for letting such a thought creep in, but I did understand that time does not or maybe cannot bind people.

So, how do you find out if HE'S marriage material or not? Well, the signs are very clear to read, if you are just willing to see the truth and nothing but the truth, even if it is not always what you want.

Here are few tips that will let you know your man inside out:

1.    Start seeing all the aspects of your relationship. It's good to be an optimist, but it's practical to analyze all aspects. So look outside the "wonderful moments "you've shared with him.

2.    Secondly, set your goals. If you are the type of person who would like to settle down and get married when the time is right, then you are naturally going to want someone who will have the same dreams and goals as you.

3.    When you have these clear in your mind, learn to accept facts and stop assuming you must marry him just because you've known him for X number of years or months. Like I said, time CANNOT bind two people.

4.    Talk to your partner about this, once your relationship reaches a comfortable point to discuss marriage and commitment.

While there are men who might not be the "perfect hubby" types, there are others who love their lady to bits, but simply hate or don't believe in the concept of marriage. The kind of men I'm pointing out here are the ones who brush aside the topic of marriage, hunt for excuses on why he cannot marry RIGHT away or keeps beating around the bush.

If any of these apply to your relationship, then I suggest you have a chat with your guy and know what's in his mind, even before you take the relation to the next level.  Lastly, do not rob yourself of true happiness by telling yourself that he will eventually come around or that you can change him, because this usually never works and you will only end up waiting. So, move on girl!