My dad once told me about how my grandparents met. My grandfather had asked another gentleman to speak on his behalf to my grandmother's father. It took my grandfather three months to be able to talk to my grandmother and that was only to ask her for her hand in marriage. They were married 75 years.
My own parents' first date included her older brother who stayed with them through the entire evening -- which ended at 9:00 PM. They got married one year later and have been married 55 years.
My experience in courtship was that I had to always go with my oldest sister on her dates. The guys would ask me why, and I told them to protect her from anything bad happening. We were always home by 10:00PM which upset my sister. Of course, sex was never a thing to be given up by a woman.
Today with all of the music exploiting women and women exploiting themselves in their dress - or lack of - and giving up sex like a cashier gives change, then why should men give them any respect?
The other day, I opened a door for a lady. She looked at me and said, "Thank you." Another female looked like I had just insulted her intelligence.
I taught my sons to respect women as equal individuals, to treat them as God treats us men and to protect them from harm, because a man's legacy cannot continue without them alongside in marriage.
By the way, my wife and I have been married for 25 years.
John
