Anyone whose life deviates from mainstream expectations gets this, writes advice columnist Eleanor Gordon-Smith. Perhaps you could play with different ways to describe it
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I’m 54 years old, and although I was married for 22 years, I’ve been single for the past 14. I did remarry briefly a few years ago, but that chapter was short-lived.
At this stage of my life, I feel genuinely content. I’m on my own, but by no means lonely. I have a fulfilling balance between work and personal life, and I’m deeply grateful for my three daughters and my grandchildren, who bring me joy and purpose.
My question is: how do I make people understand that I’m happy as I am? Friends and family often tell me I “need” to find someone, or that I shouldn’t be on my own, as if my single status must mean something is missing. Some assume I’m simply waiting to meet the right person, but that’s not the case. Their comments are beginning to wear me down, leaving me questioning myself and feeling low at times.
