Janette Shafsky is a 50-year-old mother of two teenagers. She has been a stay-at-home mom for 19 years and is recently divorced, freeing herself of an emotionally abusive relationship that was hard on her whole family. Now she is faced with what some assume to be the problem of finding a new love or remaining single forever. American society urges everyone to find their “other half” or “soul mate” before it is too late, but should making sure one does not die alone really be a concern for everyone?
Interview
1. How did you feel about being single before marriage? Now how do you feel about it after you have been divorced?
Before getting married, Janette felt particularly independent and in no rush of finding her one true love or a man to support …show more content…
How have other people reacted to you being single after being divorced? How do these reactions make you feel?
Many people’s immediate reaction to her divorced status, as Janette recalls, is saying things like, “Don’t worry. You’ll have no problem being with someone else.” Janette rolls her eyes to herself and laughs secretly at those who approach her with the mindset of someone being nobody without having somebody special in their life. Janette brushes off such comments, as she is satisfied with herself and is simply not afraid to be …show more content…
The answer is that it completely depends on the person. Before, my own strong desire to find that special someone validated by American culture’s strong view on love pushed me to believe that most, if not all, people wanted to eventually find their “soul mate.” From interviewing Janette and reading what Knox had to say about singlehood, I learned that being single can be something appreciated and even desired by someone, even when said person is at an older age. Eventually getting married is altogether not a dream everyone has. Marriage is a common goal for those who want someone to depend on or to share their life with. But for those like Janette who would much prefer the company and responsibility of a dog instead of a person, finding that special someone is not a priority they have. For these naturally independent individuals, singlehood is not something to be feared, but a lifestyle to
Interview
1. How did you feel about being single before marriage? Now how do you feel about it after you have been divorced?
Before getting married, Janette felt particularly independent and in no rush of finding her one true love or a man to support …show more content…
How have other people reacted to you being single after being divorced? How do these reactions make you feel?
Many people’s immediate reaction to her divorced status, as Janette recalls, is saying things like, “Don’t worry. You’ll have no problem being with someone else.” Janette rolls her eyes to herself and laughs secretly at those who approach her with the mindset of someone being nobody without having somebody special in their life. Janette brushes off such comments, as she is satisfied with herself and is simply not afraid to be …show more content…
The answer is that it completely depends on the person. Before, my own strong desire to find that special someone validated by American culture’s strong view on love pushed me to believe that most, if not all, people wanted to eventually find their “soul mate.” From interviewing Janette and reading what Knox had to say about singlehood, I learned that being single can be something appreciated and even desired by someone, even when said person is at an older age. Eventually getting married is altogether not a dream everyone has. Marriage is a common goal for those who want someone to depend on or to share their life with. But for those like Janette who would much prefer the company and responsibility of a dog instead of a person, finding that special someone is not a priority they have. For these naturally independent individuals, singlehood is not something to be feared, but a lifestyle to