Since my last post about Takuya Kimura, I’ve been thinking about his marriage and his wife, Shizuka Kudo. I think I’m not far off saying that many of his detractors and supporters alike do not think much about their union and are expecting it to fail.
When Takuya announced his marriage with Shizuka in 2000, many of his fans were shocked and angered. From day one, she came under harsh criticisms. From her looks, her style, her age to how she plotted to snare him and trapped him into a marriage by getting pregnant. Many questioned his decision to marry her. Including me.
I wonder how Takuya feels about such comments. Then it suddenly dawned on me that my marriage with my husband has also been under scrutiny, even till today. But of course, we’re both ordinary people, unlike the celebrity couple.
When we got together, people who didn’t know us personally thought we were the most unlikely couple. They questioned his choice and wondered aloud why on earth did he have to go out with a woman five years older than him. These included some of his friends, colleagues as well as his relatives. Even his parents were not approving of our relationship initially. In fact I found out recently the real reason why he doesn’t bother to keep up with his relatives is because he cannot tolerate the fact that they have criticised me.
I don’t really know or care what others think. I suppose they feel that a cradle snatcher will do him plenty of harm. What they didn’t know is that age is only a number. Despite the gap, we connected very well and was extremely comfortable with each other in all aspects. He was never threatened by the fact that I’m older and was very forthcoming right from the beginning. In fact, I was the one who hesitated initially because one of my golden rules was not to go out with younger men. He was not the first younger man I dated but he was the one who convinced me that we actually match in terms of mentality and frequency.
And this is all that matters.
That we are both happy in this relationship and what others think is not very important since it’s really about our lives, not theirs. They can continue to speculate till the cows come home for all I care and the fact remains we came together because of love and common interests.
So having said this piece, I can now continue to bitch about Shizuka Kudo because I know they both are really oblivious to them.
Seriously, age is but a number, what’s most important is the mutual understading between a couple!
My bro-in-law is also five years his wife junior, and i would say my sis in law has, in a way, ‘guide’ him to be a more matured and responsible person!
They got along very well and after awhile you just forget about the age gap between them! 
Comment by Eileen — Mon, 3 Jul 2006 @ 10:04 am
I don’t mind a guy being younger than me (example:Rain) as long as his thinking is mature
Comment by Ashes — Mon, 3 Jul 2006 @ 10:35 am
This is purely a coincidence but you know how Gmail loves to pop up adverts or intersting quotes sometimes and just before I read your post, I got this from Gmail.
“Age is an issue of mind over matter. If you don’t mind, it doesn’t matter.”
And how apt it is.
Comment by domestic rat — Mon, 3 Jul 2006 @ 1:04 pm
Yes, age is just a number. It can affect us if we want it to affect us..
Pst, I used to date a guy 5yrs younger than me, he was really sweet and funny, one of the reason I left him was his age and maturity (another being he’s a foreigner), although fun to be with, he doesn’t know the responsibility he has towards his parents or towards me. I would have married him if he was more matured.
Comment by zara's mama — Mon, 3 Jul 2006 @ 1:44 pm
SS, mine hubby was my junior too, 2yrs junior. I was quite oblivious about age then though my principle also never married a younger man but… Love must hv blind me… I was a philatelist then and my hubby first dated me was to a stamp convention… now think of it, sound like a conspiracy? Hm!Must be those stamps that had glued on my eyes! Wah…
Nevertheless, I am happily married. I think being married together is a kind of destiny. We have vow to be married husband and wife and stay together forever regardless of poor or health, didnt we
Comment by wtpgrr — Mon, 3 Jul 2006 @ 3:53 pm
Five years younger is nothing!
A lot of guys like older women. I know that
So never mind what others say. If you both are happy, that’s all that matters, isn’t it?
Kind regards from The Netherlands.
Do take care!
Comment by Chia — Mon, 3 Jul 2006 @ 5:39 pm
Eileen: It really depends on the couple. Like one of my brothers and his wife is a disaster. Also 5 years difference…
Ashes: If it’s Rain, you must still go out with him even if he’s not very mature. At least got something impressive in your track record. Hahahaha…
DR: Ya, but don’t know why others seem to mind leh…
ZM: The level of maturity is very important. Frankly, I’m kind of childish when it comes to certain things and he’s more stable at certain aspects so we can still match up.
wtpgrr: Really? Your hubs also younger? Hehe…give me a FIVE! You were a what? Philatelist? Really “ta stamp” one ah? Hahaha…sorry couldn’t help it. But that’s very interesting.
Chia: Hi. Yeah, I never thought much of it but I do get funny reactions still when I tell pple about it. Unlike pple in the west, pple in Asia are still less accepting about such differences.
Comment by sesame — Mon, 3 Jul 2006 @ 6:54 pm
Hi-5, Lo-5, perfect 10 :p
Comment by wtpgrr — Mon, 3 Jul 2006 @ 7:28 pm
Communication is so much more important than age differences. Being critical of something as small as age difference really shows how small minded people can be.
Comment by Hsin — Thu, 6 Jul 2006 @ 5:15 pm
My childhood friend is happily married for 8 years now with a woman 7 years older than him. I thought it won’t work but I was so wrong!
Though I always want to date older men, somehow in my 31 of age now, more younger men are attracted to me. Reading your entry made think again: “Why not try?”
Comment by trieze — Fri, 4 Aug 2006 @ 6:02 pm