On Friday I met my five closest friends for a delayed birthday meal. I was 36 in June and for obvious reasons celebrations were on hold!
All of them are married, I’m recently single just before lockdown. I was very cut up about it. They all have easy financial lives and being blunt, I’m only able to ‘keep up’ as it were, because I have a good job. Being married they have added income too of course and have all married men with decent jobs too.
When the topic of me being single came up...One of my friends during the meal said oh you’ll find someone, though probably better to be realistic that you’re not going to find someone who has the same income or standard of living as you so you’ll have to adjust expectations in that regard, anyone with a half decent job and prospects for a comfortable life together will be taken by now, make sure you don’t lose your job! (This is pretty much word for word!)
There was an awkward silence and one of the other girls changed the subject and we didn’t mention it again.
I don’t care about money and in fact my ex was extremely well off and wanted to be with me but I ended it as I didn’t feel he was the right one for me. But, just like my friends, I hoped I would still find someone that shares my ambitions and can bring the same to the table as I do. It’s not the be all and end all of course but I feel like she’s basically said to me that I’m old now and only left with half arsed men who will be a drain on me rather that an equal. I hoped if I met someone who had similar earnings to me that I may be able to take time off if there were kids, while they were young. I realise it’s not that simple and maybe the bloke would want to stay home but it’s I just feel any prospect of that has been written off now in the eyes of my friend.
Maybe I’m being sensitive as there’s some truth in it? I feel sort of deflated, like I’m too old for anyone like the men they’ve all settled down with. It’s even made me question ending things with my ex.