Marriage is a beautiful experience. One that joins two people physically, spiritually and emotionally. When marriage is done right,with two right individuals, then it is a bliss and a fantastic experience.
But in as much as marriage is beautiful and we all want to live happily ever after with that perfect partner, one flaw remains and that is till death do us part. Death is inevitable. It comes upon all living things.
Now if I were to be a 71 year old widow and an opportunity to re-marry comes my way, would I take it?
Honestly, this prompt is really tempting. I say this because at that age, I'll already be a grandma, so no need to bear children. The marriage would simply be for friendship and shared interests. Also to curb loneliness. Death of a loved partner leaves a void in the heart of the surviving partner, hence loneliness can creep in. This loneliness can be chased away when another love partner enters the picture.
Even the Holy Bible states that….
”Two are better than one. When two lie down, they share body warmth but wow to him that is alone”..... From Ecclesiastes.
This particular verse is not necessarily on marriage but the context is true. When two people are together in harmony, they share body heat and synergy which keeps the body warm and the emotions stable. Indeed, there would be many things I'd stand to gain if I decide to re-marry.
But to be sincere,at that age, marriage would have ticked off my wish list. One fact we must all consider is that women are bound by a biological clock unlike men. Once a woman starts getting to a particular age, menopause will set in and from the little I have researched on menopause, it is not a friendly experience.
The body will begin to change and this change automatically affects the woman's mood and libido. She will lack interest in anything sexual. This is why most women can be true widows but the reverse is the same for men. Men can still be sexually active even at 80years of age. They might not be as agile as they were in their youth but still, they would be able to impregnate a fertile woman when in contact.
So to answer the prompt pragmatically,I will not re-marry. I don't wish to go over the rollercoaster of emotions I went through with my first partner. I don't want to learn to read a 70 plus years old man and begin to streamline my needs, wants desires and more for him simply because he would be the head.
Secondly, at that age, I'll be thinking of how to meet my creator and to avoid anything that might cost me my eternity. I would devote more time to kingdom business and services, serving God with weight on my shoulders.
Thirdly, I would spend time with my children and grandchildren. I will serve as an elder, counselling young couples on how to manage and navigate storms that might arise in their marriage. I would baby sit my grandchildren, play with them as much as my weak limbs can allow and most importantly, I'll lead them on the right paths of life through wise counsel.
I would also devote time for charity and philanthropy, sowing good seeds in as many lives that need it. This will be useful for my future generations.
Lastly, I would tour the world and travel to many beautiful countries This is something I would not be able to do if I decided to re-marry. But as a widow, I would have time for vacations and sight seeing many beautiful places. My children will fund those trips because they know that I need it.
To summarize, I'll be living like an empress dowager and enjoying myself (in a good way). I would have no husband to be worried about if I decide not to re-marry. I would seek out other activities that I derive happiness from. No man can make a woman 100% happy all the time. I'll occupy my time engaging in some practical skills for charity.
There would be time left for lovey -dovey things at that age 😁.
Thanks for reading.
Images source : Meta Ai