Annie’s Mailbox: Take a break from dating, marriage

Dear Annie: I am dating a 56-year-old man. “Ralph” has been married three times and has been single for the past seven years. I’m a 53-year-old woman. I’ve been married twice and have been divorced less than a year.

Ralph and I have been dating for nine months and have been living together for the past seven. In the beginning, we discussed getting married. Now, he never mentions it. I have brought the topic up twice, but he doesn’t respond.

I want to get married again. Is it time to move on and leave this relationship? – Harriett in Hartford

Dear Harriett: So you moved in with Ralph after two months? And you want to get married again, even though you’ve been divorced less than a year? We think you don’t know how to live without a man in your life, so you rush into every relationship and try to make it permanent.

We’d advise you to move out of Ralph’s place and live on your own for at least six months. Do not even think about moving in with a boyfriend until you are engaged or married. If that means you end up living by yourself for a while, even better. When you become attached to a guy simply for the sake of being part of a couple, it invariably creates problems down the road. Please take the time to enjoy your own company for a while.