David Letterman stunned the world -- and perhaps stunned his longtime girlfriend even more -- when he tied the knot to Regina Lasko after a 23-year "whirlwind" courtship.
I wish I could say that this gallant gesture should give the rest of us hope that our boyfriends will "eventually come around," but indeed this is a cautionary tale to the scores of trusting women who pin false hopes on their lollygagging longtime boyfriends.
If your ultimate goal is in fact marriage, then standing by a man who protests and mocks the institution to a national audience on a regular basis probably isn't your express ticket to the altar.
For any woman facing "The Panic Years," staying in a protracted romance -- even if it is to the world's toothiest talk show sensation -- is a risky move if she wants nuptial validation. Every assertive woman who's grappling with "The Panic Years" should make her man put his matrimony where is mouth is -- not wait for years on end for a wedding that might or might not happen.
But of course Lasko's risky calculation was one that ultimately paid off. If you consider toiling away with a child at home for years with a reluctant baby daddy to be a payoff.
So are the couples who stretch out their courtship for years on end actually missing the boat on marriage and that elusive concept of happily-ever-after?
Not according to Jenny McCarthy, who gushed about her ever-hot romance with Jim Carrey last week on Oprah. McCarthy said she and Carrey are blissfully unwed -- and they wouldn't have it any other way, going so far as to say that that piece of paper can oftentimes sour a soaring romance. (Oprah, of course, needed no convincing on that front.)
Ultimately, there is no right or wrong approach with regard to marriage. As long as both people are on board with their arrangement, there's no issue.
But you should be mindful of what the "right" timeline is for you and your relationship if crossing that nuptial finish line actually means something to you.