Too Short to Matter?

I began thinking about the topic of this post after a discussion I had with some members of the class who arrived early. We were talking about a sentiment that the author of the forward of A Grief Observed shared that essentially stated she didn't feel that the Lewis' relationship had lasted long enough to really matter. In her view, not enough time had passed in order for Jack to be able to justify how he felt. Those of us in class didn’t agree with her, of course, but it made me wonder why she felt as she did.

Why, according to some people, are relationships validated only after the passing of much time (though how much is necessary is harder to determine)? Does having only a short time with someone instantly disqualify the relationship from having incredible meaning?  Truthfully, I believe that the answer is more elusive than a simple yes or no. On one hand, each of us is probably familiar with the (typically young) individual who thinks he or she has found “the one” after a chance meeting that spawned a couple of dates or even only hang outs. On the other, I both know through personal experience and friends’ statements that, on occasion, a relationship that only lasted for a comparative moment has tremendously influenced the rest of my/her/his life.

I suppose that the core of the issue is a question: Are time and love (or maybe relationships in particular) inseparably connected? In continuance of my increasingly more regular form, I have to leave the question unanswered because I yet to figure out the solution.