On being alone and the probing of society

Lately I’ve been asked more times than I can count when it is that I am getting married. Honestly, the way this question irritates me is just beyond reason, not because it makes me feel insecure, but because it highlights how automatically improbable it is for the world to accept that maybe, just maybe it is okay for people to choose to be alone.

When I answer in the negative because really life is too short to say “maybe soon,” and give people false hope because I owe the world nothing, that’s when the flood of reassurances come.

For example, one woman said to me: but who will look out for you? (and I always look on in disbelief, because I’ve been living alone since I’ve been in college and I’ve never had an issue).

Another “concerned” person said: you will soon change your mind. (I am not opposed to marriage, but trust me that age should never dictate when one chooses to commit).

So where do you get companionship ‘you know’? (I don’t need to be married to find that. Sex – because obviously that’s what you are referring to – and marriage are not synonymous things. They exist without the other thank you very much).

So what about kids? (Also not synonymous).

Don’t you get lonely? (Don’t you married people get annoyed with someone around all the time? – It goes both ways really).

Don’t you want someone to take care of and share with? (Will my spouse be a dependent child? If you think my goal in life is to take care of a grown ass individual you and I have very different views).

But what else will you do with your life? (Idk obviously, according to you, how about I just LIVE).

Twenty-seven down, twenty-five to go…