Miranda was saying that her mother has been pressuring her to get married and have children (she really stressed the children, her mom can't wait to be a grandmother), and I was surprised by Kelly's reaction. She said to Miranda that she shouldn't feel pressured into making such a major life decision by anyone, even family. That is something I most definitely didn't expect to hear.
Had Miranda been saying this to any other woman about Kelly's age in the church, I'm quite the reaction would be something along the lines of "Well, your mom just wants what she thinks is best for you, don't worry about it, the right man will come along, and you will want to marry him". Very likely there would be a not so subtle hint inserted in there about what that woman felt was a suitable young man that was single in the church, and she would try to set them up on a date.
I spoke a few minutes later to Kelly's brother Jason about this conversation, and I said I was surprised by his sister's reaction, that wasn't the norm, and that in every Christian circle I have been a part of, there's always been a lot of pressure on people of the younger generations, people like me and Miranda to get married.
There's this perception in evangelical/fundamentalist churches that you should get married by the time you are 25, and have children, and that if you are in your 30's or later and aren't married, that you aren't living a fully fulfilled adult life, or that, quite frankly, you are completely an adult, that you have missed a critical stage in your adult life and maturity.
