Is it that, or is it the idea that there are all these bizarre and arbitrary "expectations" that go along with reaching a certain "stage of life"?

I mean, there's this whole scheduling thing -- "By the time you're _____ years of age, you're supposed to be married and have ______ kids and own a ______ house with a ______ and a half car garage and _______."

I remember being 6 years old, and my Mom was trying to explain something to me -- and she said "I know it's hard to understand, but you'll know what it's like when you grow up and have kids of your own."

And even at that age, I couldn't fathom why it was so INEVITABLE that I WOULD have kids of my own. But the expectation hung there, like the Sword of Damocles, over my head.

And there are those who still try to put it back up there even today.

sounds so yummy

I wish I were not single, but the grief would be much more if I were to rush the issue out of desperation or pain. I am a few months out of a on-and-off 4 year with my mother of my kids and there is so much that I miss about that togetherness and deeply long for it, but I will never have that if I focus on it. Plus the ***** tried to kill me hhaha mmm gotta love the complexity of relationships

Life is too short...why not have fun and go with the flow?

everyone wants what they don't have.

actually i was kidding. i don't really consider myself old, although by definition i'm pushing the hell out of being middle-aged. i think that's why i get on so well with people younger than me, i don't think i'm old enough for the "rites of passage" we're supposed to go through to become adults, and i hope i never am.

oh i do, regularly.

no.........

at one point, I was "taken", by a great man, & it was the best feeling out there........sadly, it must not of been meant to be....so single once again!

And thats where I think im gonna stay!!! Too much heartache, & being MISERABLE trying to pull yourself out of it....IF you even can!!!

IF THERES LOVE OUT THERE..........REAL , TRUE LOVE..........it'll happen.........but i sure as hell aint gonna go LOOKING FOR IT!

Been single now a little over 2 yrs.. I love my freedom but I really miss the companionship of a man in my life.. Maybe because I was happily married all but 5 yrs of my adult life...

doesn't it though?

Four and a half years here. I'm tired.

Me? Being single has a lot of big positives (freedom, peace and quiet, plenty of 'me' time)... the ability to be myself 100% of the time...

What has it made me realize? I would like to find a woman, with whom I can be myself 100% of the time, and still have a relationship :) - that's not so easy to find!!!

Am I tired of being single? No - as I am not tired of being myself...

Have I lost hope? Of course not, who knows what life will bring "in with the next tide" (stolen from the movie Cast Away)...

I've had 0 long relationships 1 Short relationship. Single for 21 years people wtf is wrong with me lol.

you're only 21, you have time for all that. good luck though.

There's the other side of that, too, though -- I've been in lots of relationships, and, in retrospect, I would have been better off to have avoided all but about 6 or 7 of them.

I think more in terms of "preventative medicine" now....!

I've been single for quite sometime now, i have fun, there are benefits to it.

Nothing your young you'll have those relationships

I understand that being single has its benefits but how can you be happy single if all u want is companionship. I feel I've been missing out and want a singnificant other so badly lol. To wake up to that certain girl in the morning is what i want and it seems so hard im lost for how to go about it.

i hope you get what you want then. keep posting in the forums and let the girls get to know you.

I don't mind being single because I don't need a romantic relationship to feel validated. I have tons of amazing people in my life who love me so the romantic part is not important. If/when it happens thats cool but I wont cry about it if it doesn't.