My parents are best friends, which is great, considering they have been divorced for a bit over 10 years. In that time, they have become closer than they ever were in marriage. They talk on the phone everyday. Mom has come to accept dad’s fondness for dating women under 30, and even his grandiose, sometimes expensive dreams. We accept him as is.

Last week, while out to dinner with my parents, I announced that I was finally emotionally ready to meet Mr. Right Always. Thanks to my exes, I knew exactly how I did, and did not want to be treated - and that I now actively believed I deserved a good man and was willing to wait for him!

My dad nodded his head throughout my little speech. And when I finished, Mom turned to dad: “Yea, Steve, do you have any dating advice for your daughter?”

And he responded contemplatively: “I don’t know, I think she’s doing better than I am. I just keep doing the same things.” I was so complimented and sad at the same time –he’s three weeks shy of 73, after all! A very youthful 73, of course...

I tried to comfort him: “Well, Dad I guess it’s just comfortable.”

And then it hit me. Maybe that’s it. Maybe I was “doing better” than dad because after a few years out there, I was willing to be uncomfortable. I knew my romantic habits were getting me nowhere and that I had to make difficult choices to break the cycle. For my survival, I chose to remain single for a time, rather than date the wrong men –even though it killed me (at first, anyway). Dad had been dating the same women for more than 50 years!

Finally, he said what he’s always said when the subject of women was broached: “People don’t change.”

And then as gently as possible, I said: “Well, Dad, people only change if they want to change.”

“Forgive your dad. I’m too old to grow up.”

But, is it really ever too late?

Are we ever too old to grow up?