That was told to me by a very wise man who possessed incredibly perceptive antennae when it came to 'human' nature.
The following, from Wikipedia, proves the truth of his words:
"Adult tigers lead solitary lives and congregate only on an ad hoc and transitory basis when special conditions permit, such as plentiful supply of food. They establish and maintain home ranges. Resident adults of either sex tend to confine their movements to a definite area of habitat, within which they satisfy their needs, and in the case of tigresses, those of their growing cubs."
Well, my 'home range' allows no others unless those 'others' have four feet and whiskers. I live alone for a multitude of reasons.
1. I grew up in a violent, crazy family and never had the desire to venture into a partnership of any kind, not after living within a 'union' that was the marital equivalent of Dante's Inferno.
2. I must have inherited my mother's total lack of that mysterious thing called 'maternal instinct' because I do not like, nor have I ever wanted kids. They smell, they're noisy-annoying-demanding, and then they become obnoxious little snots who think you're an idiot (yeah, for having KIDS) after which they become adults, but not necessarily grown up. They can remain spoiled brats for decades, and YOU have to deal with it because you're MOMMY. Thanks, but no thanks.
Most parents hope for their children's happiness in marriage. I would hope that they meet someone 5,000 miles away and decide to move there, extremely happily married. Good, visit me every 5 or 10 years, that would be perfect. And don't send me pictures of the grandchildren, they're boring.
3. I am a music aficionado AND bi-polar, so if I feel like blasting James Brown's "I FEEL GOOD!" one day, and Sinatra's "Here's That Rainy Day" the next, I WILL, with no remarks from the non-existent peanut gallery. And NO requests either. I play what I want to hear, period. And I listen to the music, so having cats as kids is wonderful because they do not SPEAK.
4. I really don't like most people, including (and especially) my own former family ~ they talk too much, they're intrusive, they can be disgustingly insincere, totally self-absorbed, and when stupidity is included in the mix, GET THEE BEHIND ME. STAT.
There, I think that explains my single state nicely, don't you? There once was a time when the very thought of being a spinster made women quake with fear. "OMG, I MUST have a man in my life.....!!" UGH. How pathetic is that?
Another observation from an acquaintance: "Paula, you were always 20 years ahead of your time."
Well, THANK GOD for that!! I escaped the 1950s mindset!
Say hello to my new doormat.
