This Is Us

Pondering a Future Alone

How would it feel to be single for the rest of my life?

Y.L. Wolfe
Human Parts
Published in
4 min readMar 9, 2021

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Photo: fancy.yan / Getty Images

What would happen if I’m single for the rest of my life? Is it possible that somehow, I might not meet someone who feels compatible? Is it possible that I might not like someone as much as they like me, or vice versa? That there’s just not someone who would be a good fit?

What would it be like if I lived alone for the rest of my life? Would it become harder for me to be flexible and accommodating of other’s needs? Would I ever get over those moments of panic when I feel a major illness coming on or get injured and realize that I’ll have to spend days or even weeks trying to fend for myself? Would I ever stop feeling afraid after major snow storms when I worry I’ll be trapped at home alone when the power might go off, when pipes might freeze?

How would I deal with my car breaking down? A mouse infestation in the garage? All the repairs I want to make and things I want to build that I don’t know how to do and/or cannot do, physically, by myself?

What if a window breaks? What if ice dams form on the roof and cause massive damage to the walls? What if the bathtub cracks or the dishwasher starts leaking?

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