7 Signs He's Ready For Marriage (And 3 Signs He's Not)

Have time to read this meme...

Reality bites, hahaha!

Some men plop down on their knee and ask the magical "Will you marry me" question within a year of dating, while some are still taking things slow after five. It's hard to put a time stamp on everything, least of all relationships. And there's no right or wrong standard -->

But as you're waiting for your guy to pop the question, how do you know that he's really in it for the long haul? Look for these signs that say he's ready to spend the rest of his life with you.

1. He's keen on couple time

If he's ditching time with the guys in favor of being with you, it's a sign that he's strongly committed to the relationship. It's not healthy to spend 24/7 together though, so there should be some balance between spending time with you and having outside interests to focus on.

2. He respects you

Does he listen to what you have to say? Is he willing to compromise to keep you happy? These are signs that he's respectful of you and cares about your feelings.

3. You're making long term plans together

When he discusses his future, does he speak solely about himself or include you in his potential plans? If he's talking more about "me" than "us", it suggests that he's not thinking about your relationship in the long term. If you're already actively making long term plans like buying a home, rest assured that most men won't want to enter into this kind of commitment without being completely sure that you're going to stay together.

4. He's getting his finances in order

Men often like to be financially secure before they feel comfortable making a long term commitment so if he's started looking at pension plans and other long term financial provisions, there's a good chance that he's preparing for a future that doesn't only involve himself.

5. You're always on the guest list for family events

Regularly being invited to spend time with his close family is a sign that he wants you to be involved in his world. Most guys wait until they're sure that the relationship has a future before they start introducing you to family and friends so it's a promising sign if you're a regular fixture at family gatherings. On a similar note, it's a good sign if he's also making a big effort to be involved with your family and friends as it shows that he wants both of you to play an important role in each other's lives.

6. He does a lot of the running

Does he take the initiative a lot in the relationship or is it you who's doing all of the work?

7. His friends are settling down

Peer pressure can be a big factor in influencing when a man is ready to make a long term commitment. If most or all of his friends are making trips down the aisle, he may decide that it's high time he did the same.

LOVE?

"Love in Reality..."

Sometimes, in our relentless efforts to find the person we love, we fail to recognize and appreciate the people who loved us. We miss out on so many beautiful things and simply because we allow ourselves to be enslaved by our own selfish concerns.

Go for the man of deeds and not for the man of words for you will find rewarding happiness not with the man you love but the man who loves you more. The best lovers are those who are capable of loving from a distance, far enough to allow the other person to grow, but never too far to feel the love deep within your being. To let go of someone doesn't mean you have to stop loving, it only means that you allow that person to find his own happiness without expecting him to come back.

Letting go is not just setting the other person free, but it is also setting yourself free from all bitterness, hatred, and anger that you keep in your heart. Do not let the bitterness rare away your strength and weaken your faith, and never allow pain to dishearten you, but rather let you grow with wisdom in bearing it.

You may found peace in just loving someone from a distance not expecting anything in return. But be careful, for this can sustain life but can never give enough room for us to grow. We can all survive with just beautiful memories of the past but real peace and happiness come only with open acceptance of what reality is today.

There comes a time in our lives when we chance upon someone so nice and beautiful and we just find ourselves getting so intensely attracted to that person. This feeling soon becomes a part of our everyday lives and eventually consumes our thoughts and actions. The sad part of it is when we begin to realize that this person feels nothing more for us than just a friendship. Don't be so bitter about it! For it is a kind of friendship that will last for a lifetime.

We start our desperate attempt to get noticed and be closer but in the end our efforts are still unrewarded and we end up being sorry for ourselves. You don't have to forget someone you love. What you need to learn is how to accept the verdict of reality without being bitter or sorry for yourself.

Believe me, you would be better off giving that dedication and love to someone more deserving. Don't let your heart run your life, be sensible and let your mind speak for itself. Listen not only to your feelings but to reason as well. Always remember that if you lose someone today, it means that someone better is coming tomorrow: If you lose love that doesn't mean that you failed in love. Cry, if you have to, but make it
sure that the tears wash away the hurt and the bitterness that the past has left with you.

Let go of yesterday and love will find its way back to you. And when it does, pray that it may be the love that will stay and last a lifetime. "When I lost you, I was the one who loved you most, but between us you lost more. For someday I can love someone the way that I loved you. But you will never be loved again.

"Irony of Loving"

When you are together with that special someone, you pretend to ignore that person. But when that special someone is not around, you might look around to find them. At that moment, you are in love.

Although there is someone else who always makes you laugh, your eyes and attention might go only to that special someone. Then, you are in love.

Although that special someone was supposed to have called you long back, to let you know of their safe arrival, your phone is quiet. You are desperately waiting for the call! At that moment, you are in love.

If you are much more excited for one short e-mail from that special someone than other many long e-mails, you are in love.

When you find yourself as one who cannot erase all the messages in your answering machine because of one message from that special someone, you are in love.

When you get a couple of free movie tickets, you would not hesitate to think of that special someone. Then, you are in love.

You keep telling yourself, "that special someone is just a friend", but you realize that you cannot avoid that person's special attraction. At that moment, you are in love.

While you are reading this page, if someone appears in your mind, then u are in love with that person.