Great article and so, so true. I LOVED being single. I love being with Pete too but I wouldn't say I like coupled life more. Don't get me wrong there are lots of pluses to being a couple, shared dual incomes, somebody to whine to when you come home, body heat in winter (not such a plus in summer)...
But when I was single when I'd get down or lonely I'd focus on how GREAT it was being single and the potential downsides of being coupled up: having to consider how your decisions are going to effect someone else ALL the time, sharing space, conflicting habbits, sharing the remote, and even worse sometimes being coupled with the wrong person who ends up detracting from your happiness instead of sharing it or adding to it...
One thing I learned is that being with the wrong person is about a hundred times worse then being on your own.
Also, I made all my single and married grilfriends jealous with all my online dating tales and the fun I was having being "alone". I guess what they didn't realize was I wasn't "alone" I had them, my family, my dog, my causes, my life. All of which are pretty friggin' fabulous. 95% of the time I wasn't alone, let alone lonely.
Of course, my coupled friends made it easier on me becasue only one couple around me had the kind of relationship I wanted. Not that I would tell them this, but I tend to believe that most of them settled a little too soon because they were afraid of being alone. I had been in those kinds of relationships and had said, "No, thanks." The one couple I did admire just made me figure, well if they kind find it so can I. So over all my coupled friends just made me that much more sure I was single for a good reason. If I never found what I wanted so be it because I knew for sure what I didn't want; I knew what I wanted existed; and I wasn't going to settle for less.
I'm definitely glad I didn't becasue my couage and optimism were rewarded. I found everything I wanted and then some.
Great article and so, so true. I LOVED being single. I love being with Pete too but I wouldn't say I like coupled life more. Don't get me wrong there are lots of pluses to being a couple, shared dual incomes, somebody to whine to when you come home, body heat in winter (not such a plus in summer)...
But when I was single when I'd get down or lonely I'd focus on how GREAT it was being single and the potential downsides of being coupled up: having to consider how your decisions are going to effect someone else ALL the time, sharing space, conflicting habbits, sharing the remote, and even worse sometimes being coupled with the wrong person who ends up detracting from your happiness instead of sharing it or adding to it...
One thing I learned is that being with the wrong person is about a hundred times worse then being on your own.
Also, I made all my single and married grilfriends jealous with all my online dating tales and the fun I was having being "alone". I guess what they didn't realize was I wasn't "alone" I had them, my family, my dog, my causes, my life. All of which are pretty friggin' fabulous. 95% of the time I wasn't alone, let alone lonely.
Of course, my coupled friends made it easier on me becasue only one couple around me had the kind of relationship I wanted. Not that I would tell them this, but I tend to believe that most of them settled a little too soon because they were afraid of being alone. I had been in those kinds of relationships and had said, "No, thanks." The one couple I did admire just made me figure, well if they kind find it so can I. So over all my coupled friends just made me that much more sure I was single for a good reason. If I never found what I wanted so be it because I knew for sure what I didn't want; I knew what I wanted existed; and I wasn't going to settle for less.
I'm definitely glad I didn't becasue my couage and optimism were rewarded. I found everything I wanted and then some.