Kathryn Lopez of National Review interviews Jennifer A. Marshall, author of "Now and Not Yet: Making Sense of Single Life in the 21st Century" on how we are to understand the new trend of young people delaying (or giving up entirely on the idea of) marriage:

... LOPEZ: “We need to restore cultural respect for the marriage ideal,” you write. “In the meantime, the marriage aspiration is alive and well.” So what can a single 39-year-old do about it?

MARSHALL: Don’t toss out the marriage ideal just because it’s not working out personally at the moment. Don’t let the fog of cultural stereotypes cloud perceptions of men; see them individually for who they are, just as each of us women wants to be seen as a unique person. Keep articulating the challenges on the path to marriage in the wake of the feminist movement and sexual revolution; pastors, leaders, mentors, and parents have wisdom to share but need openness on our part so they can better understand today’s circumstances.

And all of us, no matter what our marital status, should seek solid ground for a sense of meaning and purpose that transcends all life’s seasons.