Old Maid

Was lying in the bath last night thinking (and trying not to fall asleep in the nice warm water), specifically about marriage.

I know it's expected of most to find their soulmate, settle down and "be fruitful". I've already been fruitful, and I don't feel like settling, or finding a soulmate. Perhaps that makes me weird.

It's just that I actually like the life I've got. Being a single mom, being unmarried. I like the freedom I have to go where I want and do what I want - provided we have enough to live on and all our basic needs are taken care of. I don't really want to change that. I'd like to be able to make impulsive decisions without having to first plan around another adult - and their job or committments or whatever. I don't want to have to follow someone else around if they're required to move, but would rather make those kind of decisions solo. I enjoy going out if I want to go out, splurging if I want to splurge, eating ice-cream for lunch if I want to do that.

Of course it would help to have a second salary coming in, so I could give up a job and try something new without financial worries if I wanted to. But it's not essential. I can make things work on what I have without having to rely on someone else. I can scrimp and save easier than I would have if I had a "family budget" to work with.

There's the argument of some that it's nice to have "companionship" later in life. I guess so, but I'm not the type that gets lonely. In fact I enjoy being on my own. And having never had a chance to do the "backpack around Europe" or whatever thing in my younger years (becoming a single mom at 20 ruled that one out!), I'd probably do it in my later years.

There's the sex thing, but strangely enough it not important to me (yeah, go ahead and say I'm weird). Can do without indefinitely.

I definitely don't need the hassles that husbands inevitably bring, or that I'd bring as a wife. Can go without arguments and compromises and sharing space. I guess I'm a bit selfish.

So why should I want to get married? Am I missing out on something, or am I way better off this way? I tend to think it's the latter.

I guess I'll be an Old Maid one day, but that's just fine with me.