Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

I’m 63, single, child-free – and my friends weren’t there for me when I needed them
www.msn.com ^ | August 6, 2025 | Kate Mulvey

Posted on 08/08/2025 3:24:01 PM PDT by Jonty30

Several weeks ago, I had a serious health scare. The emergency appointment and ultrasound were attended alone. I did a ring-around of my friends and sisters, but they were away or otherwise occupied. All I wanted was someone to hold my hand and give me a bit of moral support, but on a sweltering hot day, I sat alone in the hospital waiting room – a solitary figure among a sea of cosy couples, with only my Kindle for company as I bounced off the walls with anxiety. While the scare turned out to be just that, the stark realisation that my friends weren’t really there for me when it counted, and that I was utterly alone, was an unpleasant wake-up call. As a childless, unmarried woman of 63, it is difficult to admit how terrified I am of ending up alone and being eaten by cats. Read Next: I tried eight types of coffee bean – a supermarket brand was the clear winner Without the silent contract between parent and child, Someone we look after and who can take care of us, the loneliness wears more and more heavily on me. I find it devastating to imagine ending my days isolated or worse, going gaga and incontinent in a care home. Like many women, I had always expected to get married, have children and maybe even a house in the countryside. It never happened, but not by design – I left it too late. Looking back, in my twenties and thirties, I was about as ready for the chains of matrimony as I was for joining the Women’s Institute. I didn’t want my life mapped out for me.

(Excerpt) Read more at msn.com ...


TOPICS: Chit/Chat; Education; Health/Medicine; Society
KEYWORDS: alone; childless; eatenbycats; unmarried

Click here: to donate by Credit Card

Or here: to donate by PayPal

Or by mail to: Free Republic, LLC - PO Box 9771 - Fresno, CA 93794

Thank you very much and God bless you.


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 181-200201-220221-240241-256 last
To: Jonty30

Friends weren’t there for me when I needed them.

Well firends are not always what they appear to be or say.

They know all about you it comes in handy when they want something.

But you know your furniture and other items will be useful to them and not tossed in the trash.


241 posted on 08/09/2025 8:37:20 AM PDT by Vaduz
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: glorgau
Always keep score so that you can use it to justify some meanness later.

Always keep the business card of someone who has wronged you. When you ding a parked car, write "Sorry" on the back and slip it under the wiper blade."

242 posted on 08/09/2025 8:37:26 AM PDT by Albion Wilde (If [mortals] are so wicked with religion, what would they be without it? —Benjamin Franklin)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 137 | View Replies]

To: dfwgator
High School/College is truly one of the few opportunities we get in life to bond with others. Lord knows you cannot do that anymore in the workplace, it’s just too risky.

In any large group, that risk exists, even in churches, which hurts more because you don't expect it there.

“Builds character.”

Eventually we all come to the realization that only God loves perfectly, and we lean on Him for comfort when the world lets us down.

243 posted on 08/09/2025 8:43:16 AM PDT by Albion Wilde (If [mortals] are so wicked with religion, what would they be without it? —Benjamin Franklin)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 148 | View Replies]

To: mass55th
I learned a long time ago that I would rather live alone and be happy, than live with someone and be totally miserable.

As one of my divorced women friends says, “Now I live with a television. If I don't like what it's saying, I hit mute.”

244 posted on 08/09/2025 8:56:52 AM PDT by Albion Wilde (If [mortals] are so wicked with religion, what would they be without it? —Benjamin Franklin)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 189 | View Replies]

To: VanShuyten
Do women friends show up, as a rule?

How else would they find out what to criticize, or gossip about?

245 posted on 08/09/2025 8:58:38 AM PDT by Albion Wilde (If [mortals] are so wicked with religion, what would they be without it? —Benjamin Franklin)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 194 | View Replies]

To: mass55th

All good, realistic advice. May God bless you in surprising ways in coming years, and may you accept any true blessings offered from those you meet as you age.


246 posted on 08/09/2025 9:04:12 AM PDT by Albion Wilde (If [mortals] are so wicked with religion, what would they be without it? —Benjamin Franklin)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 196 | View Replies]

To: T.B. Yoits; fruser1
I've seen plenty of ending scenarios. Sudden death is best.

After two of my aunts turned 90, were in a care home and not driving any more, instead of flowers I brought them chocolates and booze. What's the worst that could happen? They loved it. And kept their great senses of humor until the end, ages 98 and 99.

247 posted on 08/09/2025 9:14:33 AM PDT by Albion Wilde (If [mortals] are so wicked with religion, what would they be without it? —Benjamin Franklin)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 207 | View Replies]

To: T.B. Yoits

I screamed with laughter at that meme!


248 posted on 08/09/2025 9:16:12 AM PDT by Albion Wilde (If [mortals] are so wicked with religion, what would they be without it? —Benjamin Franklin)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 213 | View Replies]

To: drSteve78; Hot Tabasco
"probably lie dead in our homes for several months"

And yet, being dead, how would you know, and why would it matter?


It would ruin the carpeting and lessen the resale value for those ungrateful children who don't call.

Seriously, I'm most likely going to be a skeletal rotting corpse sitting in my armchair with my jaw agape and a laptop still connected to the wall socket, FR on the screen.

249 posted on 08/09/2025 9:19:12 AM PDT by Albion Wilde (If [mortals] are so wicked with religion, what would they be without it? —Benjamin Franklin)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 215 | View Replies]

To: shelterguy

Good to hear. That’s the spirit!


250 posted on 08/09/2025 9:23:07 AM PDT by Albion Wilde (If [mortals] are so wicked with religion, what would they be without it? —Benjamin Franklin)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 234 | View Replies]

To: fruser1

I know a woman older than I am in Florida, a college professor. She lives alone with a few cats, and she told me once that if she started to get infirm or senile, she would walk out in front of a moving bus. Who knows, that might be a useful way to go for me too, since I’m 58 and single.

“You can evade reality, but you cannot evade the consequences of evading reality.” — Ayn Rand


251 posted on 08/09/2025 9:37:24 AM PDT by Tolerance Sucks Rocks (FBI out of Florida!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 9 | View Replies]

To: cgbg

Rather ironic that she chose to alienate people as a virtue signal


252 posted on 08/09/2025 9:55:41 AM PDT by AppyPappy (If Hitler were alive today and criticized Trump, would he still be Hitler?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 14 | View Replies]

To: Albion Wilde

Thank you so much!!


253 posted on 08/09/2025 11:07:21 AM PDT by mass55th (“Courage is being scared to death, but saddling up anyway.” ― John Wayne)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 246 | View Replies]

To: Albion Wilde
"As one of my divorced women friends says, 'Now I live with a television. If I don't like what it's saying, I hit mute.'”

Simple solution that works, and the TV isn't going to argue with you.

254 posted on 08/09/2025 11:09:10 AM PDT by mass55th (“Courage is being scared to death, but saddling up anyway.” ― John Wayne)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 244 | View Replies]

To: stanne

It isn’t? For one year I drove another church member to her radiation appointments twice a week. She became a friend and I was devastated when she died.
I see other church members drive a pastor to shot appointments that make it impossible for him to drive home. I have had friends show up to help me care for two babies while a family member moved. While she was here she also cleaned out my freezer.
Church friends have brought us meals while one of us was recovering from surgery.
The list goes on.
God’s perfect plan is for everyone to be part of a church family so nobody goes to the er alone.


255 posted on 08/09/2025 11:15:38 AM PDT by Wiser now (Socialism does not eliminate poverty, it guarantees it.you have to consider this:)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: Wiser now

That’s what we do here. But do they expect it from you? It wouldn’t be joyful if so.

Is it your role? Would they whine if you didn’t show up? Do you expect them to help you?

My point is people need to set it up so they get taken care of. That means helping others.


256 posted on 08/09/2025 11:23:02 AM PDT by stanne (Because they were mesmerized by Obama, the man for whom this was named, whose name they left out of )
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 255 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 181-200201-220221-240241-256 last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson