I am having an affair with a man 8 years younger than me. Here’s how our relationship is different than others

It just takes one statement from me that makes some of my friends raise their eyebrows, parents frown and relatives to gossip—I am in a serious relationship with a guy who is eight years younger than me. A section of our society still believes that a healthy relationship can only exist when the woman is either younger or at least of the same age as her partner. But here is the story of my three-year-old relationship that has proved everyone wrong and is growing steadily stronger. I am 34 years old and my boyfriend is 26, and here’s how our bond is different than others…

I had my doubts when I started dating him. There were days when we used to go on a date or hang out with his friends, and I used to feel a little insecure for being the oldest in the group. Seeing him with younger girls used to make me uncomfortable and in turn, unsure about our relationship. But here’s the thing, a right guy will make you feel special at any age and put efforts to make the relationship work. He sensed my discomfort and assured me from time to time that I have nothing to worry about. His gestures spoke volume about his care and affection for me. Today I know he loves me without any condition and that’s what makes our bond beautiful.

This is one of the best things about dating a younger guy. My boyfriend is full of energy, passion and optimism. He believes in living life to the fullest and is always eager to try new experiences, which adds spice to our relationship. In fact, he reminds me of my carefree days when I was of his age. Together, we make a happy, adventurous and a modern couple.

He had made me realise maturity has nothing to do with age. A man is the sum of all his experiences that make him grow emotionally and mentally. A 30-year-old can have the maturity level of a teenager, and a 20-year-old can be as mature as someone in his or her thirties. He is a pragmatic person and never lets any ego problems (whether his or mine) affect our relationship. I seek his advice whenever necessary and surprisingly, we share a common perspective on most of the things in life.

I have slogged in the corporate world more than him (seven years extra to be precise!) and it is obvious that I earn way more than him. To be honest, this financial disparity was initially a bone of contention is our relationship. He was not comfortable with me splurging money on him or footing the bill of our dinner date, but we made adjustments. Today, we try to share (gifts and surprises excluded) all our expenditure and have found the middle path. Not just this, we motivate each other to achieve our professional goals, discuss our office problems and find time for each other despite our hectic schedules.

We discuss our future and have plans to tie the knot in the coming time. We plan to adopt a girl child and if things go well, a pet dog as well. Our families are yet to accept that we truly love each other and have taken the right decision. But as long as we have faith in this relationship and are sure about our feelings, we know we are heading in the right direction. (Representational images)