Dear Eric: I’ve been with my boyfriend for 19 years. We have lived together for more than 16 years, but every anniversary comes and goes without a proposal.

I’m wondering if I should ask him next February, even though I feel he should ask me. I’ve been waiting long enough. I appreciate your advice.

– No Ring

Dear Ring: You don’t have to wait until February to ask a question. And it doesn’t have to be The Question, if you’d rather that he proposes to you. But it’s going to help you both to have a conversation about where you stand on the idea of marriage. Does he want to get married? Does he consider this long relationship to be equivalent to marriage? Does he know how important getting married is to you? These are all important things to talk about. And they’ll make your bond stronger,

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