Opinion: Do you need to get married to have a full life?

Question

I know all the negative connotations with living a single life.
I'm not talking about the permicuous single, im talking about the person who devotes their time to their career in a healthy manner and partakes in many extra activities and has friends and family around them... but never settled down and had the big wedding or the kids.

OR

The single life like I described, people always see as lonely.

I just wonder who thinks this is true.

Answer 1

I believe you can have a wonderfully fulfilling life, and marriage does not have to be part of it. I know a wonderful person who never married, yet is one of the happiest people around.

Answer 2

I'm 43, and I've always maintained a lot of friendships (mostly long distance these days), and I'll tell you this much: most people will get married, and when they do, their family becomes their focus, and that's as it should be. And sometimes it's in the best-interest of their career/family to move, so they do.

As you get older, you begin to realize that friendships are a lot more transitory in terms of closeness than family is, and there are fewer and fewer singles in your age group that are not dysfunctional and worthy of your friendship.

So I guess what you have to ask yourself, is how much do you appreciate change where you have no input whatsoever into the decission-making process.

All that being said, being single is--in most ways--easier: you only have to clean up after yourself, all your money and time is yours, and if you choose, you can be a lot more selfish without hurting anybody else's feelings.

Being single doesn't mean being lonely (and even if there is solitude involved), and being married doesn't mean not being lonely (even if you have 12 kids). Lonely kind of implies a kind of discontent.

I guess what I am saying is that marriage has its positives and its challenges (if you are married to a good partner), and being single has its positives and its challenges. Either way, you can wind up lonely.

Answer 3

So are saying which you prefer to get married out of high school quite of going to college? That it relatively is low priced to get married than get an practise? out of your attitude, you do no longer see the great image. i'm particular many human beings older than you out right here who've reviews you do no longer even understand approximately can objectively aid you recognize this: get an practise. what's late teenaged emotion and actual love is beneficial through fact extraordinary now you think of that's all you elect and choose. If that's actual, then the affection and choose will nevertheless be there once you're somewhat older. An practise final continuously, yet as you point out your self, some will say, and info tend to agree) that obtaining married youthful finally ends up in greater divorces or maybe a plenty decrease extensive-unfold of residing. you are able to of path forget approximately approximately this suggestion and say that it's going to no longer take place to you, nicely it might, and it relatively is possibly to be a greater stable highway. won't be able to you discover some sort of in between? If no longer, journey it out for a mutually as. Get a 2 year friends degree or some thing earlier marriage, and artwork in the direction of your stepped forward degree in a while, even area time. that's a lifelike compromise and in basic terms delays marriage 2 years, certainly 22 months, which isn't that long in terms of your total existence. Please provide it some concept. ultimate needs.

Answer 4

I don't see it as being lonely if you choose to be. I don't think an explanation is needed to everyone, why you choose to be alone. The way things are going now, I wished that was the choice I could have made. You are living a healthy life. It will become unhealthy, if you began to worry about what other people think. No one can live your life for you. People seem to think everyone have to have a woman, married, with a picket fence, a dog and 2.5 kids by the time they reach 35 years of age. Have fun.

Answer 5

I am sure that Sister Teresa felt she had a full life.

I think that one needs an altruistic love of someone or something to have a full life. I believe that is what cultivates a soul. I believe that it is in the giving of ourselves that we find fulfillment, whether as a spouse, a parent, a care giver, an emergency worker, spiritual leader....

If as a career you seek material possessions then you have filled your pockets but neglected your soul. If your career is helping others, because THEY need helping, because it is the right thing to do, then in the end you can rest with a full heart and a clear conscious.

Having said all of that...
I am married, and I can't imagine anything else that could be this rewarding.

Answer 6

I don't think you "need" to get married to have a "full life."

If it's more rewarding and fulfilling for you to devote more time to a career (or whatever) instead of a relationship, that's your choice.

Happiness and fullfillment is strictly an individual, subjective thing.

I've been happinly married for over 36 years, and knowing several people who are single (for any number of reasons), I would still definitely choose to be married.

I think that if you find one person with whom you feel compatible - someone with whom you share common interests, who seems kind, forgiving, compromising - that's much better than playing in the "dating pool."

I think that singles in the "dating pool" (of all ages) have to - for basic social/emotional defense - put up certain barriers at first, and I find that whole business totally exhausting. I'm glad I found an intelligent, sexy woman with whom I could be totally open.

Answer 7

Absolutely not! In fact, I think it is important to have a "full life" and be happy with your life BEFORE you get married, because marriage doesn't necessary guarantee happiness (as evidenced by today's 50%-ish divorce rate). I've known so many people who have rushed into getting married because they felt like they needed a husband or wife in order to feel "complete," only to end up being miserable and getting divorced. I believe that a marriage is supposed to enrich your life, not complete it. The only way you are going to feel fulfilled in a marriage is if you feel fulfilled before getting married. That being said, I think it is definitely possible to live a happy and fulfilling life as a single person. I think my life before I got married was pretty fulfilling. Meeting my wife (whom I love with all my heart) was just icing on the cake.

If you're single and desperately looking for "Mr. Right" or "Miss Right", my advice for you is to stop looking! Instead, focus on bettering yourself and finding happiness in your own life. Spend time with your family and friends, take up some hobbies, join some volunteer organizations, travel abroad, learn to play a musical instrument, go out and live life to the fullest! There are a number of ways to make yourself and your life more interesting, and if the "right one" is out there, he/she will come along when the time is right. But even if you don't find that special person at least your life will have meaning. Just don't put your life on hold because you don't have that "special someone" to spend it with. That someone special is YOU!

Answer 8

happiness is what you make it... Some people don't want to get married... All marriage is... a piece of paper and some jewelry stating that you are going to spend the rest of your life with a person. You can make that type of commitment with out marriage but why would you? You have to make the decision on what you want. You have to look deep into your hear to know what you are capable of handling. Some people need the marriage as a security blanket to know that someone loves them. Being single is something that I enjoy. I get to know what I like about myself and know what it is that I need to be successful. Some people treat being single like it is some deadly disease, but you crawl before you walk. So you have to go through a beautiful relationship then break up in order to grow

Answer 9

There are many married couples with or without children who "feel" lonely. If you are happy with your lifestyle...then that is what counts. When you are ready to settle down, you will know. In the meantime...enjoy your life and do not worry about what other people say or think about the single professional woman who devotes her life to career, family and/or friends.

Answer 10

no. many people find the single life very satisfying. The question is for you....is it going to emotioanlly wreck you to be without a wedding and without being married. I know happy singel people and single people that want to be married. Each person is different. Can you handle never having kids or grandkids? There are benifits to being alone. You will be able to focus all on what you want to do with your life and no one else to support or really take care of. Best wishes.

Answer 11

In my opinion, a person doens't need to marry in order to have fulfillment in their lives. Many people are career minded & happy in life, so how can that be wrong? Marriage isn't for everyone just like many other things in life. I never look at a single person as being lonely. It's often times their choice & I respect that.