Is Age Just a Number When It Comes to Love?

Have you ever fallen for someone significantly older or younger than you? You're not alone. Don't forget: age only matters wheh you place too much importance on it.
Is Age Just a Number When It Comes to Love?

Last update: 27 May, 2022

Although lots of people say that age is just a number when it comes to love, most of us take it into account before starting a romantic relationship. Prejudices like “In a few years he’ll be an old man” or “What will happen when reality his us?” are at the root of the problem.

Nevertheless, our potential partner’s age isn’t a reason not to welcome them into our life. In such matters, you should let your heart lead the way.

When Fear of Gossip Rules Your Life…

Sometimes a relationship where there’s a bit of an age difference ends because the couple never really believed that it would work. Society and even our family and friends are to blame. We may not like to admit it, but other people’s opinions usually have a big impact on most of us.

Even so, why are we almost always optimistic in the beginning? Well, things tend to be easier in the first few weeks or months of a relationship, when idealization carries us into a dreamworld.

Woman worried covering her face

The start of any relationship is a time when anything seems possible. However, when the rose-tinted glasses come off, we proceed to ask ourselves: “What will other people they say?”

Here are some common worries than many of us have:

“Am I ready to be a caregiver?”

When your partner is significantly older than you, it’s natural to worry that you may be forced to become his or her caregiver eventually. Such thoughts make us feel petty, but

Still, keep in mind that life is very unpredictable. For example, your partner could be the same age as you and wind up disabled due to an accident. No matter how careful and calculated you are, you never know what tomorrow brings.

“What if I come off as too immature?”

This likewise is a common fear. It’s important to remember that maturity isn’t determined by the number of birthdays we’ve had.
A 40-year-old can be very immature, while a 20-year-old can be a remarkably “old soul.”  So, besides love, age is definitely just a number when it comes to maturity.

“What if the spark dies?”

Generally, when we as this question we think of our partner’s looks. Nevertheless, though physical attraction may be important, true love is based on more than that.

We all end up losing our looks. When someone loves you for who you are, this doesn’t matter. They love your mind and personality. Your looks are just a wrapping that deteriorates over time.

Dancing couple in love, for whom age is just a number

When You’re in Love, Age Is More Than Just a Number Only If You Let It

In conclusion, age is more than just a number – if you allow yourself to be guided by prejudices and false beliefs. Think about all the times you’ve heard people say that opposites attract. That probably is true for some couples, but such relationships don’t always work out.

We must try to free ourselves from the beliefs that prevent us from having a fulfilling love life. Age, physical condition, and health are important, but we should never minimize love. It doesn’t matter if a 20-something falls in love with a 40-something. What matters is that they are happy.

What will tomorrow bring? No one knows, but we can all be sure that nothing lasts forever. An age difference between partners won’t necessarily lead to a breakup – it’s just one factor among dozens of others.

Couple in love dancing on a beach because age is just a number

Placing too much importance on age just limits your ability to form bonds. Love is fluid, unexpected, it surprises us and allows us to expand our minds. Don’t try to stop it just because it doesn’t shows up in the way you had expected or doesn’t look like how you had imagined.

Thinking that age is more than just a number places an end-date on love. Instead of experiencing your relationships to the fullest, you miss out on what really matters.


All cited sources were thoroughly reviewed by our team to ensure their quality, reliability, currency, and validity. The bibliography of this article was considered reliable and of academic or scientific accuracy.


  • Guzmán, Mónica., Contreras, Paula. (2012). Estilos de Apego en Relaciones de Pareja y su Asociación con la Satisfacción Marital. https://scielo.conicyt.cl/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0718-22282012000100005
  • VV.AA. (2002). Diferencias entre los estilos de amar que tienen hombres y mujeres y sus reacciones de Estrés Postraumático tras la ruptura de su relación.

This text is provided for informational purposes only and does not replace consultation with a professional. If in doubt, consult your specialist.