I genuinely don’t get why “When are you getting married?” or “Why are you still single?” has become the default small talk once you hit your 30s. Like… is there a secret deadline I missed? Did I skip a required life checkpoint somewhere between paying bills and trying to eat healthy?
And the bonus question, the all-star, the grand finale: “When do you want kids?”
Sir. Ma’am. At this point, that ship didn’t just sail… it booked a one-way ticket, upgraded to business class, and is now sipping champagne somewhere far away.
Also, I have 11 nieces and nephews. Eleven. I’ve already unlocked the “parent energy” DLC without needing the full game. I can spoil them, return them, and still sleep peacefully at night. That’s elite-level life design if you ask me.
And if that wasn’t enough… I’m surrounded by friends who have kids. Some of them even made me a godfather. So trust me, there is absolutely no shortage of kids in my life. I get the fun parts, the chaos, the noise, the cute moments… and then I clock out. It’s like a subscription plan I didn’t have to pay for.
Truth is, I’ve been single long enough that I’m actually okay with it. Not “coping” okay. Not “waiting for the right one” okay. Just… genuinely okay. I enjoy companionship from time to time, sure, but I’ve never really been the “must be in a relationship” type. And that’s not a flaw. That’s just how I’m wired.
We really need to normalize that being single or child-free isn’t some kind of unfinished business. It’s not a problem to fix. It’s not a phase to outgrow. It’s a valid lifestyle. Just like being married. Just like having kids.
People live differently. Some build families, some build careers, some build businesses, some build peace. None of those paths are superior, they’re just… different routes to the same goal: being happy.
And honestly, using someone’s relationship status as a topic for judgment or gossip? That’s not curiosity, that’s just low-effort conversation dressed up as concern. We can do better.
I’m happy for my friends who are in relationships, married, or raising families. Truly. And I’m equally happy for my friends who are single, unattached, and living life on their own terms. No one’s winning or losing here.
So maybe next time, instead of asking why someone is single… ask if they’re happy.
That’s the only metric that actually matters.