I wish I’d had the chance to live alone before marrying so early in my twenties.

Some young people need the experience of stepping fully out of parental dependence and facing life on their own. That experience allows them to understand how a household truly functions. They learn about the responsibilities. They face the hardships and experience the solitude. They also learn the need to confront adversity and solve problems independently.

Living alone teaches the value of solitude. It also highlights the importance of self-discovery. In life, we realize that no one is more essential than ourselves. The care we owe to our own well-being is paramount. This includes physical, mental, and emotional aspects. Our survival depends solely on ourselves.

The experience of living independently should be as brief as possible, yet as deep and expansive as necessary. This stage equips young people with the strength and skills to build a home with someone else. It helps them to nurture and appreciate that union. By knowing solitude and comparing it to family life, they gain a better chance of not failing in their relationships.

In the generation I come from, we often leapt from the comfort of the parental nest. We jumped straight into the harsh reality of building a new home. That contrast, in my view, is one of the reasons behind the high divorce rates among my peers.

Newer generations have learned, at least in part, from their parents’ experiences. Fewer young people today rush into marriage. Instead, they focus on personal goals and strive for independence before turning thirty, before considering a leap into deeper commitments. For some, that decision never comes—because they find no one more worthwhile than their own independence.