I used to struggle with living alone, but now I’m thriving. Should I give it all up?My boyfriend and I are in our late 50s. He never married and doesn’t have kids, while I am divorced with two grown-up children. We each have our own place near to each other but he very much wants us to move in together. I am reluctant and feel guilty about it because I, too, was initially keen to do so. It was very difficult to find myself alone after my marriage broke up – I felt like a cast-off, a failure, and feared I wouldn’t cope financially. Now, 15 years down the line, I am very content because not only have I coped, I have thrived. I have a happy social life, enjoy my work and am part of a community. I also love – need even – my own space and time alone. Although my partner and I enjoy our time together, some issues that I can live with for a couple of evenings a week would be a burden to me on a 24/7 basis. For instance, he has a big dog who sleeps in the bedroom and interrupts every cuddle...
A woman in her late 50s is hesitant to move in with her boyfriend because she values her independence, enjoys her thriving single life, and finds his dog's presence disruptive to their intimacy. She fears losing him if she declines but recognizes that cohabitation would likely be detrimental to her well-being.
