by T'Shurah Dove

Created on: January 25, 2009

I ABSOLUTELY, POSITIVELY love being single. I really do! I've been single for many years now. I've gone through the whole "dating game" . You know, you meet someone, go out for a while and somewhere down the road realize that you can't stand the way that person snorts when they are laughing or you hate the fact that that person leaves toothpaste in the sink and doesn't change the toilet paper roll once it's finished. The only other being that I have to worry about in my household is my cat Max. Sometimes, that's even too much for me. Dating is not that great of an experience. It's ok. Yes, dating looks promising on your favorite television show. But in my opinion, it doesn't beat out being single.

As I get older, I appreciate the perks that come with being single. I can do everything at my own pace, I don't have to discuss with someone what time I'm coming back after a night out on the town, and if I want to eat Coco Krisipies for dinner , I can do just that. I'm comfortable knowing my space IS my space. It's OK if the laundry basket has three weeks of unwashed clothes in it, I'll get to it when I'm ready. I don't have to engage in arguments about why I smiled too hard at the cute waiter who asked if I wanted my dessert to go. I don't end up thinking in two's. Oh the joys of being single!

It used to annoy me when the elders in my family would act like my being single was equivalent to bearing the Scarlet Letter. They would make me feel like you couldn't be happy unless there was some type of significant other to share your life with, which is far from the truth. A number of my friends from high school and college got married early. When I run into them and we talk about what's going in our lives, it amazes me how I always get the same response from each of them: "You're so lucky that you are single!" I mean it really amazes me. Society and media are famous for providing a false sense of reality when it comes down to what relationships are. They paint a picture of happiness and good times 24/7. I think this is one of the reasons why the number of failed marriages is so high, real life is not what you see on television.

As long as you surround yourself with people who are just as amazing as you are, you won't feel alone. Who says that you can't spend Valentine's Day with your single girlfriend? or by yourself for that matter? What's stopping you from going on a couple's cruise with your single best male friend? or single best girl friend? or cruise by your single self? Single people have more options when it comes to living active and fufilling lives. Let's see, you can plan a last minute weekend trip to the Bahamas, you can go speed dating just for kicks, you can blow half of your paycheck in Vegas (what happens in Vegas...), you can attend local social parties to make new friends, or you can spend all day at the movies. These are all activities that don't require two people. Well, I would suggest taking a friend with you to the speed dating just for kicks option. It makes the experience ten times more fun. But the point is you can do things that people in relationships may not be able to do as easily.

So enjoy your singleness! Use the internet to find new things to do. Make a list of things you would like to do and plan complete one new activity every month. Or every six months. Or once a year. Your single self will be glad you did.

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