I know quite a few women who aren’t partnered up and don’t have children. Most seem to be doing great, traveling, involved in hobbies or other pastimes, throwing themselves into careers. Shake their heads sadly (but jokingly!)when I say I can’t do something because of family.
But not all. A few are struggling and haven’t come to terms with being happy in themselves.
One friend got pregnant through a donor when she realised she was nearly 40 and wouldn’t find a partner to have kids with. She is really struggling financially bringing up a child on her own. Still wants to meet the right guy, however, is finding men seem to get worse as she gets older. But, ultimately, wouldn’t do anything differently.
A couple seem great but when we meet up they say they aren’t happy and are very focused on the lack of a partner. Both do a lot of OLD sporadically, get annoyed at how bad they find it and give up for a while but always go back to it.
One was always desperately unhappy about the lack of partner, seemed to throw herself at dodgy blokes who never stayed around, was financially unstable and, I think, a drug addict or alcoholic. Sounds a bit soap opera but I think it was more coping strategies with one thing leading to another. But she was very much the exception. I have a few friends who were a bit that way in their early 20s but matured and found their feet. She never seemed to. I haven’t heard from her for a few years.
I don’t think any of the less than fantastic lives are that way because there’s something inherently unfortunate being single, though. My married/divorced friends are equally varied with plenty doing great and others struggling.