Yeah I know I've said that age is just a number. But I couldn't help it but instinctively react with a 'woah'. Perhaps society has constructed me to react that way. Nonetheless, 15 years difference. Another of my friend was quick to point out Dr Sun Yat-Sen and his 3rd wife who were 26 years apart.

Well, age is but a number, no? I've heard of couples differing by 5 years or 10 years, but 15 years is indeed a first for me. Perhaps what shocked me was the sheer number and also the fact that the couple has 2 kids. Leaving the kids issue aside, I suppose 15 years does seem a little wide. But it's pretty subjective isn't it? To me, 5 years difference is perfectly acceptable while some people feel that the maximum should be 2. I guess it's a matter of the environment we grew up in. My parents differ by 5 years, so I would think that 5 years is perfectly normal. Then I have friends whose parents differ by 9 years, and so they wouldn't be too surprised if they heard of similar couples. So, really, who decides what number is too big or too weird?

Assuming we take a 22 year old and a 12 year old. 10 years difference. Even for me who has no issues with 10 years difference will object to this simply because it's pretty paedophilic. What about a 7 year difference for a 23 year old and a 16 year old? Arguably this is more acceptable but some will still feel that it's a tad paedophilic. What if we were looking at a 25 year old with a 35 year old? Still 10 years apart, but it doesn't seem half as bad as a 22-12.

That's why I figured that age is a number, and also a signpost to suggest the stage the person is at. It's like a quick reference to the sort of life a person might be having. Schooling or working. So if you meet someone for the first time and the person says he's 15, you'll ask which (secondary) school he's in; if someone says he's 18, you'll ask whether he's in poly or jc or ITE; if someone says he's 22, you'll ask whether he's studying at a university or if he's working. So there you have it, age is a rough guide to where a person might be in life. Of course, all these at the risk of stereotyping.

Alright just a short post about my take on age and numbers. To all the couples out there whose age difference may be significantly wide (however you want/choose to define it), I wish you all the best in your relationship and no matter what people say, always remember that age is but a number which is a quick reference to the stage in life you are at. You may not be in the same stage with your partner now, but one day you will be. And at that time, you'll realise that age is but a number, and love transcends all that.