Atlanta residents in their 50s and beyond are enjoying the single life with no regrets. Millions of seniors are hooking up online on dating sites such as Craigslist Personals and MatchSinglesOnly.
For many seniors being single is a choice. Dating over 60 can be intimidating, but there are dozens of apps and websites that make the single scene more inviting for seniors.
Tonya Lewis is the voice behind “The Diary of Dating Over 50.” Lewis, 63, is a model and flight attendant.
After her children grew up and moved out, Lewis began to date again. She almost got married – but she called the wedding off.
“I said, ‘You know what? I’m just going to be single for a while,'” she said.
While Lewis has not ruled out love, she said she’s not interested in proving her worth to men.
“I don’t want to have to always remind somebody, ‘Hey I’m over here!'” she said. “And that’s what you have to do. You’ve got to send them a picture then you’ve got to send them a text … you’ve always got to remind them that you’re over here… instead of them courting, pursuing.”
Some seniors say younger people don’t understand why they choose to remain single.
Missy Taylor tells AJC.com the choice to be single is sometimes shaped by loss.
Taylor, an associate minister at North Atlanta Church of Christ, helps lead a grief support group for people experiencing a loss.
“Adjusting to the idea of being single after a long period of relationship can feel overwhelming,” she told AJC.com. “They’re trying to figure out who they are now.”
She recalled a widow who shared season tickets to the symphony with her husband. The thought of attending the symphony without him was unbearable. But Taylor convinced her to go alone.
“She went, and it was a beautiful experience,” Taylor said. “She is finding ways to create a full life as a single person.”
