Being single : the good, the bad and the ugly

Been there, done that and even bought a t-shirt. It is either by choice or by circumstances that a woman remain single. In my case, it was by choice. I was too busy and focussed on my education and career that I put aside finding a partner. When I was at the University, the normal practice was to get a boyfriend. I did not get one in particular, but many whom until today still remain fast friends.

The Good
Being single and have a career was the best thing that happened to me. Have money, car, house and being able to travel and do whatever things I wanted to do with little hindrance. There was no guilty trips to deal with. No hassle of leaving behind a loving husband or babies behind when I decided to continue my education or to take an overseas assignment or to just go gallavanting all over the world. At home I did not need to stock my refrigerator thus no need to do the weekly trip to the wet market (Malaysians call it marketing). I did not cook, I bought food from the restaurants or gerai. The only cooking I did was zapping in the microwave.
I could go to the gym after work, I could play tennis in the morning before work and in the evening after work (that was during my love affair with tennis). I could choose whom I wanted to go out with or keep company and be by myself if i chose to.

The Bad
At times, I did feel lonely even amongst family and friends. This happens especially during the festivities particularly when my parents are no longer with us. All my siblings have their own families to mess with and I do not have anybody. That is the bad part. Other than that, live is fine.

The Ugly
The general idea of many people in our society is that when one is single, one is tak laku. So, many married women are weary of single career women. Look out, so and so is still single and talking to your husband, no matter if the husband happens to be a colleague. Another ugly side is being branded andartu, etc.