School, college, get married, have kids, then retire. That’s how many people live, and while there’s nothing wrong with that, less traditional lifestyles surround us, but some people still don’t accept it. Whether it be a single mom or independent individuals without partners, some people still look down on them.

If society was more accepting of different ways of life then would the “traditional” life be as common as it is now? I sincerely believe that it wouldn’t. 

If we use the example of a married couple not wanting to have children, it’s completely normal to want to be alone with your partner for your whole life. The reason they are together is because they love each other, not because there is a need to procreate. 

The whole point of a relationship is that you enjoy the other’s company, if you feel that you need to have children to make it whole, you might need to re-evaluate why you’re with this person. Society paints these people as monsters for not wanting to put life into the world. Not only is it no one else’s business, but is it so bad that some people don’t want to introduce babies to this unkind world?

We put so much value on making ourselves independent and self-sufficient but god forbid you aren’t in a relationship then all of the sudden that is thrown out the window. We are slowly getting better at accepting the fact that some people enjoy living life solo but it’s still widely frowned upon. I will never understand why a life spent out of a marriage/relationship is seen as sad and unacceptable. It’s really not, meaning friendships, vibrant experiences, an independent career can all be achieved without anyone else and can be just as fulfilling.

Another part of the equation for many is familial pressure. The feeling that you need to live your life a certain way in order to please your family. The fact that this is a reality for so many people makes me so angry because unless you’re putting yourself in danger why should it matter. Pleasing and trying to meet someone else’s expectations your whole life must be so exhausting and pointless. I would imagine that this pressure might put some kind of distance between family members which results in a weaker relationship. While wanting this more “normal” life for your child usually comes from a place of love, forcing or “strongly suggesting” a certain way of life seems unfair to the affected person.

My hope is that we can find it in ourselves to accept lifestyles different from our own or what we perceive as normal. If we can make peace with the fact that not everyone wants the same things but can have other aspirations and be just as satisfied, we’d all be a little happier.