Blaming it on the Age Gap No Longer Works as Excuse for Ashton, Demi Split

When news of Ashton Kutcher and Demi Moore's impending divorce first hit the airwaves, people were quick to blame the entire situation it on Ashton's cheating. Even Demi herself alluded to this in her official announcement to the press. Many blamed Ashton's decision to cheat on the fact that Demi Moore was older than him while easily discounting the six years that the pair have been married. Now that news has broken relating to potential drug problems Demi is dealing with, some are beginning to acknowledge that the divorce may have been spawned by more than infidelity while others seek to blame Ashton for the older star's erratic behavior.

With the possible exception of Kim Kardashian, most people go into marriage with the idea that they can make their relationship last "until death do us part." From the playful pictures and moments from their life the Kutchers shared on Twitter to the generally close and comfortable body language present at many of their red carpet appearances in years past, the couple seemed genuinely happy to be together. The downward spiral that led to the cheating and drug abuse would seem to be the result of a lack of communication - a problem that causes divorce in couples of all ages.

Relationships with age gaps are not as complicated as one would think from reading about Demi and Ashton's break-up. I am married to a man 35 years older than I am and have been for 6.5 years. Our marriage is still going strong because we communicate. We know each other's strengths and weaknesses and work through problems that can be resolved and deal with the flaws we know we must deal with permanently. If we ever quit communicating, it wouldn't be because we are different ages - it would be because sometimes people change. Two married people of the same age can change as easily as either my husband or I could. We have both changed greatly since we married, but we have made sure that we change together.

Ashton and Demi did not change together. At some point a problem appeared and Ashton responded to it with cheating while Demi responded to it with drug use and lack of proper body care. While either one of these circumstances may have spawned the other, the mental frame of mind that allowed the situations to occur must have been festering for some time.