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Eleven years ago, after a year marriage, I entered a new chapter of life with a very different title.
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No longer a wife; I became a widow. I was 74 at the time and still playing tennis. I had energy. I had spunk. On a trip to the Cayman Islands with my children and grandchildren, I too, swam with the dolphins. But after a lengthy period of mourning for my beloved, I was itching for something more. A boyfriend perhaps or a really nice dinner date would do. But first I had to learn the rules old late-in-life dating.
These days, going Dutch is also fine; especially old both are living on fixed incomes. I met a few prospects on senior Internet dating sites, some the widowers of deceased friends. One guy I dated was a classmate from high school with whom I met up after many decades.
At 62, I Hadn't Been On A Date In Decades. Here's What Happened When I Tried The Apps.
If nothing else, they were an eclectic group of guys. First, there was Cheap Bob. He talked non-stop about dating. I had a tough time keeping awake! Then there was the guy I called Deaf Man because he dating heard a word I said.
And the most accurate label was for a man who thought he could drive at night. His vision was so impaired that he go here a danger on the road. I labeled him Near Death, and I only went out with him once. Phil just turned Yup, we met on an Internet dating site. It was a lucky gamble.
Presently, we both live in our own homes. This is called LAT or living apart together. However, we do spend as old time as possible with each other.
Dating my granddaughter Julia once asked if people our age have sex, I was at a loss as to what to say. I did muster the courage read article explain that her definition of sex intercourse might be off the table for those in our later years due to physical changes, medications and such.
But satisfying love and intimacy — cuddling, kissing and caressing — can last a lifetime. One step beyond senior dating is living together.
In days gone by, such a coupling would be considered living in sin. Not so anymore, if for no other reason than when two people share the household expenses, there is more money to spend on cruising or vacationing in the Bahamas! My year-old friend Betty is in a committed relationship with year-old Herman. On rainy days, we head for a museum, enthralled old how artists have captured beauty in sculptures and on paper.
While our grandchildren make plans for their futures; we decide what to dating every day. A recent full-day activity may be nothing more than dining and holding hands as we stroll through a local mall. We watch as preschoolers romp in the indoor playground and wonder how our lives have flown by so fast. A stop for ice cream makes the afternoon complete.
Talking, however, is about as far as we have gone. Right now we are both in fairly good health and capable of caring for ourselves. Who knows what tomorrow will bring? Dating to a National Institutes of Health statistic, the average life expectancy of an year-old white old is 9.
But then I think how life is so tentative at our age. So many of our friends are gone; others are failing. You hear that, Julia? I wonder if a few glorious years — maybe only months together — will be worth the risk, the chaos and old confusion of moving on after loss. But then I recall a Latin phrase — carpe diem or seize the day — and I think I know my answer.
Have any of you dated after the age of 80? Or dated later in life? Let us know in the comments below. It looks like you aren't logged in to the Ethel community. Log in to get the best user experience, save your favorite articles and quotes, and follow our authors. Log In. Search Search. By Bea Lewis.
Link to Facebook Page. Link to Twitter User. Dating Essenpreis. About the Author. Bea Lewis. Before retirement, Bea Lewis was a click at this page in New York. When she and her husband moved to Florida, she penned two books. Follow Article Topics: Relationships. Editor's Picks. The famous author has just released her 20th book. By Anne Lamott. Are You a Snackaholic? Replace them with these old yummy homemade and healthy dating. By Emily Listfield. And it's all because of Taylor Swift.
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