Houstonian Online

"The truth is, I am rather happy living the way I currently am, and it's a lifestyle that I could not maintain if I was in a committed relationship."

The truth is, being in a committed relationship should enhance your life, not restrict or take away from it. If you are in a relationship and you feel like you are having to choose between the relationship and the things you like to do, then it's not a good relationship.

I've been able to accomplish much more while married than I ever did while single, because I have a partner. My husband doesn't anchor me down, he propels me forward.

This is a fantastic article, well stated, timely, and insightful. It's terrific that you recognize discrimination against singles (singlism) for what it is and haven't succumbed to the pressure to pair up just for the sake of having a partner and fitting in. You might be interested in reading Singled Out by Dr. Bella DePaulo, a sociologist and noted singles advocate. She exposes singlism and debunks a lot of the myths that mainstream America uses to promote marriage over singleness.

There are as many positives about the single state as there are about marriage, and you've hit on several of the main ones. Before people go looking for partners, they should carefully evaluate which set of positives will make them happier and more fulfilled, those that come with singleness or those that come with a relationship, and choose accordingly.

@Jennifer: It's wonderful that you found a supportive husband, but there are many other women who find, sometimes to their great surprise, that their partners don't support their endeavors and even seriously interfere with them. Marriage can be quite a crap shoot because often people don't realize they're saddling themselves with unsupportive partners until it's too late.