I also married in my early twenties (21 actually) and am still happily married over a decade later. No regrets for me; I was lucky to find someone compatible early on and we were able to grow together. Yes undoubtedly you sacrifice some experiences choosing this path but I cherish that bond and antidote to loneliness. There's something comforting about having someone so close for important parts of your life spanning a long time. A real partner to the challenges so you don't have to do everything alone.

I was hesitant to share but I thought it would be better in the end. We often hear of negative experiences (divorce, abuse, etc.) but I regularly hear about couples quietly enjoying their long relationships together. Feels right to offer a counter-point to those stories to say it's not always a mistake.