Engaged to be married, Maria reflects on her previous relationships. She considers herself an imperfect good girl because growing up, although she didn't always listen, she always used Bible scriptures as a guideline. She's learned from experience how the decision to have sex or not to have sex affects your reputation, self-confidence and your relationship with the opposite sex. Thanks to her high moral standards she was known by her peers as a good girl, a girl that doesn't sleep around, and because of this gained respect from both females and more importantly males. She found that the longer she made them wait the more respect they gave you and the sooner you gave in to their sexual advances the less respect they had for you.
She had a few serious relationships before her fiance, one of which moved faster than she would have liked. It was fun at the time, she thought to herself. I thought I was in love. But now that she looks back she doesn't feel like it was true love - more a relationship that moved too fast, too soon. If she could go back she would wait until after she was married to start having sex. Although she loved her boyfriend at the time, sex brought them to a level neither of them was ready for. She became more attached to him and with that came added pressure to stay together even when they had problems that would normally end a relationship. She stayed committed to the relationship not because she was in love but because she had already given her all to him and didn't want another sexual partner. With words he planned to be with her forever and like any loving girlfriend she believed him. But now she knows that true commitment speaks with action. She smiles happily as she looks down at her ring finger.
We have come to accept that life comes with many hardships, but sometimes we forget that many of these hardships can be easily avoided. We can assume that if you choose to live a criminal life you are putting your life at risk and are more likely to spend time in jail. The same is true for couples that choose to stay celibate until marriage; they will avoid much emotional distress. Some might say that even married couples will experience emotional distress because of their sexual relationship, however if you marry for true love you are more likely to work out problems in the bed, thus eliminating long term emotional damage that can result from having premarital sex.
Your body and mind are your most valuable possessions in life. The value of the human body should not be compromised. Today society can lead you to believe that the body is of little value especially for young women. With women in music videos who leave nothing to the imagination along with lyrics and many TV shows that promote promiscuity, infidelity and casual sex it can be hard for someone to continue to view their body as something of high value. But if one was to give in to the pressures of media they will be losing their sense of self worth. Sex is as close as two people can get. So close that with act of sex, two can literally become one. So in essence when you have sex with someone you are giving them a part of yourself. This special bond should not be shared with just anyone. Even for those who take precautions the chance of pregnancy is a real one. Many couples have been thrust into parenthood and even marriage after choosing to have premarital sex. Not only are couples risking unwanted pregnancies, people who have multiple sexual partners are putting themselves at risk for catching sexually transmitted diseases. Those who believe in casual sex should consider these things carefully.
The physical damages that premarital sex can cause are only the beginning. The mental affects that premarital sex can cause an individual can last a lifetime. As mentioned before sex is as close as two people can get. So its not surprising that when a couple starts having sex their relationship dramatically changes. They may become more emotionally attached to one another especially if it their first sexual partner. Some may even be more hesitant to break up with their boyfriend or girlfriend for fear of having too many sexual partners. Staying in a relationship where you feel you are not being treated right or are no longer genuinely interested in being with that person is not fair to you or your partner and will have negative affects on your self confidence. Some couples who have a sexual relationship are truly in love and have honest intentions but this is not always the case. Couples should always make sure their feelings for each other are mutual. For one person the step to become physical may be just that physical and for the other they may view this step as becoming exclusive or furthering their relationship. Waiting to have sex will help couples build a stronger longer lasting relationship. For those who say sex is important to a relationship, while this is true, sex is only one part of the relationship. Without an intellectual attraction sex is purely physical and thus less satisfying. Since many relationships start off with an initial physical attraction, waiting until marriage will prove your relationship is more than just a physical attraction.
Those who believe in casual sex should consider their reputation. Although society promotes promiscuity, it is still generally frowned upon. Most men would prefer a woman who has had a small number of sexual partners, if any, over a woman who has had countless sexual partners. Promiscuous women also decrease their chances of finding a good husband especially if they are religious. No doubt all of these things will mature a person, especially one that's not ready to consider these possibilities.
We as humans have a natural need to love and feel loved both emotionally and physically; consequently many people have many different reasons for engaging in premarital sex. But whether your truly in love or just doing it just to be doing it, you would be wise to consider all the possibilities both positive and negative and see for yourself which outweighs which.