It's true that being single isn't all fun and dream dates; on-your-own-ness can feel downright lonely. (And my reminder that marrieds also have their down times doesn't always break the mood.) Single life may have become the majority lifestyle here in America, but that fact doesn't help when you're trudging to the corner coffee shop for Saturday dinner. Alone. Believe me, I know. Which is why I'm suggesting my one-word cure for the blues: adventure.
Consider today's column a pep talk to see the diamond in each day, the opportunity embedded in your waking hours, the goodness waiting for you. Agreed, it takes imagination and a tuned-in you to recognize it, but think of the payoff! You'll have a more interesting life and many more chances to be at your best. Look at it this way: What would you say to an unexpected gift, something coming out of the blue without a price tag? What would you say to an open-ended series of opportunities arriving gift-wrapped?
You probably guessed it: The gift is your life. If you saw it as it is, a customized present with no strings attached, I'm pretty sure you'd roar with delight and grab it without asking questions. Well, why don't you? What's keeping you from enjoying every minute of every day? Could it be your singleness? That's a pretty lame excuse, friend. I'm well aware that too many in singleworld are living halfheartedly, acknowledging each sunrise but not seeing its promise. They get by all right, I guess, but they totally miss out on the best part of being unmarried, its adventure.
That's what I want for you. The deeper I burrow into life the surer I am that a sense of adventure elevates life beyond its fundamentals. It was my own odyssey through young widowhood as a single parent that turned me on to life's potential. As I watched others sweep away the rubble of their past and move on to create their own futures, I realized that people who build the most happiness into their lives have a strong sense of purpose and genuine curiosity to know more.
Being unpartnered, you're in a great position to make each day what you want it to be. You're mobile, unaccountable — in charge of your time, your energy, your finances. You're chairman of the board of your family, for good and not-so-good. Single life comes with plenty of rough patches. (Ask me about it.) But in time, after you've built a pretty nice life for yourself and your loved ones — a life built from your choices — you'll see the adventure in life's opportunities. I wish it to you.
DEAR READERS: We've uncovered a treasure-trove of "Single File" paperbacks — in perfect condition, ready to read. Send $15 and your address to: Susan Deitz, C/O Creators Syndicate, 737 Third St., Hermosa Beach, CA 90254. I'll send you a signed copy.
Have a question for Susan? You can reach her directly at susan@single-file.com.
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