Shawn
I’d say it depends on certain factors. A lot of men tend to date other women for a very long time and then leave them for other ‘suitable’ women when they are ready for marriage. But this is really wrong.
There are so many factors that could prompt one to say “this has taken too long”; age, duration of the relationship, how far the relationship has come etc. I’d share my opinion on the three subjects mentioned.
The age factor is an important one; ladies tend to get worried when they draw close to the their 30s, and while this is something most men can’t understand, I feel it’s something they should accept — women will always get worried and ask questions when they are around this age, and they deserve genuine answers.
The duration of the relationship is another one. You don’t have to date a lady for 10 years before you propose to her. Dating a lady for a year or two or even less should be enough to tell you whether to take the relationship further or not. If you feel the relationship isn’t right, it’s better to end it at that time than waste the woman’s time, and if you feel the relationship is right then you should try to sort things out and take it further. Sometimes, certain factors like finance and other things might not be ready at the time, but you can always start small, and you should at least communicate your fears and worries with her.
Thirdly, how far has the relationship come? There is a stage the relationship will get to and you just know deep within you that you should take it further. If you keep stalling and wasting precious time, then the relationship might reach its peak and probably begin to decline, and the love that once existed will turn sour gradually.
I believe that there is time for everything, and these factors to me should determine whether your proposal has taken too long.
That’s our take on this topic, but then when can you really say a proposal has taken too long?