Not All Singles Are the Same
When the question, what’s your status? is posed, the answer is, its complicated. All women are not the same. The same is true of all single ladies. The thread that runs through our lives is that we have value. We matter. Single women may fit into the following categories: Never married, Divorced, and Widowed. Women in these categories may or may not have careers and children along with varied interests. This blog will specifically address seasoned, single women who are 40 years old and older.
According to a MagnifyMoney analysis of the latest U.S. Census Bureau data, 55.6% of Americans 20 and older across the 100 largest cities are single. Singlehood is even more common among women across the 100 largest cities (57.3%) than men (53.7%).
Your hostess is seasoned in the following ways. You need to know this because what I write will have certain flavors or points of view—spoken like a Foodie. I am a Christian, Black/African American, and am eligible for an AARP card. I have never been married or birthed a baby. You don’t have to mirror me to get something out of this blog. For some things, we may be in simpatico. We may have to agree to disagree about others. I aim to share my experiences and learn from yours.
Virtual Single Community
I think of you, my audience as a cross between the TV shows Living Single or the ladies on Friends and the Golden Girls. Can you believe these shows are classics now? I laughed and sometimes dabbed my eyes at their adventures and sifted through their virtual lives to find something that might apply to me. These women were a consistent presence in each other’s lives. No matter what happened these women had each other’s back. I hope you have a community of family and friends that has yours. I am forever grateful for mine.
Single = Value
Whether anyone in society or the culture recognizes it, you have value. Your worth does not begin and end with your marital status. If you are a day one single or single again due to divorce or becoming widowed, you can live a flourishing life. For some, this is just a season, for others, it is a lifestyle. Whatever state you are in, learn to be content. I can’t wait to learn and grow with you.
Philippians 4:11
Amplified Bible
11 Not that I speak from [any personal] need, for I have learned to be content [and self-sufficient through Christ, satisfied to the point where I am not disturbed or uneasy] regardless of my circumstances.
According to nationalsinglesday.us, Unmarried and Single Americans Week was established in the 1980s by the Buckeye Singles Council of Columbus, OH. It is observed during the third week of September. National Singles Day is celebrated on the last day of Unmarried and Single Americans Week.” Who knew? Not I. I missed out on celebrations for over 30 years. I probably could have gotten free stuff and perhaps discounts. Hallmark dropped the ball on this one.
So, the bottom line is there is lots of diversity in the Singledom. We are not a monolith. Therefore don’t try to make us fit into the same holes as married people. We will not be shoved into a box that is not made for us. We are different, not better, just different. Viva la difference!
Which group of women do you connect with? Is there a character that your family or friends link you to? Let me know in the comments.