If I were to die never having married again it would be a disappointment but I would be fine. I have been married, twice; I have dated, am dating as I look for that one special person whose life I could compliment and could compliment mine. Being single sucks, especially if you are a homebody.
Being single at sixty is different than being single and thirty and especially twenty. By the age of 50, for sure, a person should have a strong sense of self and actually appreciate who she (or he) is. I like who I have become and though there are things I know I could have done better and should have avoided- I don’t have any real regrets. My life experiences prepared me for my today.
I have become very much aware that many people my age are on a lot of prescription medication. In a room full of sixty year olds it is assumed that everyone has some form of arthritis. The reason I decided to depend on natural health and wholeness is because I did not want to be one of those people who have a list of prescriptions I cannot forget to take. But as a single woman dating I have learned that my dates medical history is important; I have discovered that most single men are very health aware. Our health status is very important particularly when you live alone.
There are a lot of things I had to adjust to when I became single, what to do with left overs is another “issue”. Many singles eat out a lot, that really is to much trouble for me. It is a false belief that you save money by eating out- you don’t. I have learned the principle of “cooking and freezing”.
There are some meals that I can prepare as a single serving, mostly breakfast. But, I have other meals that I have learned to fix as I have always done and then divide them into individual servings, storing them in either a ziplock bag or plastic container and placing them in my freezer. On days I do not feel like cooking I can pull something out of the freezer; I thaw it, heat it (I don’t have a microwave) and serve it. In the time it takes someone to get dressed, go to a restaurant, order and be served I have a meal! I don’t mind washing my dishes.
The only problem with meals for one is that it is for ONE! Sometimes it is good to get out of the house and eat in a place full of people, even though you are still eating alone. I think going to a breakfast place is better than going out for dinner.
I lost my remote last week! There was no one to accuse of moving it: LOL! As my other friends who live alone have told me they “misplace” things to and often just go out and buy another one just so they can have it. Fortunately for me, my phone had a remote app that I could use and my other remote (ROKU) worked on both televisions. “Honey! Where is the remote?” I said to no one! Just another reminder that I live alone.
I like me! And, I enjoy my own company. I like getting up in the morning and fixing my coffee, orange juice and having either a bagel or two slices of Cinnamon raisin bread. I can talk to quietly or out loud without worrying about waking anyone up. My day is my day and it is planned according to as I see fit. I interact with people daily, mostly on the phone but, I can have visitors or visit if I choose. There is a certain type of freedom associated with being single. I have friends who say they like walking around their house naked! Not me!!!! But I do enjoy sitting in absolute quiet. I can sit in my chair looking out the front window at the birds, watching the cat try to catch the squirrel. I think it is wonderful when my neighbor’s son rides up to their home on his horse or the man who rides in a horse and buggy passes by my window- no commentary necessary…hashtag suburban country! There is a freedom in being single and having someone intrude on that requires a lot of getting to know you.
If I were to remarry I could not go back to doing what I did before. We have to talk about the money, the household chores, the remote control and the toilet seat. Visitors, friends or family, have to have guidelines- they cannot have my carrot cake (I love carrot cake)! There has to be a rule as to how much money one spends without discussing it with me first. And, we have to go to church together, we have to have mutual friends that we can hang out with together, you have to hug me on demand without compromise and we have to be able to freely be who we are without worry of rejection. If our personalities do not compliment then I cannot sacrifice my singleness to become one with another. So far I have not found anyone who is willing to agree to my demands and, to be fair, I have not been able to agree to their’s.
Written by Marsha L Floyd