I got married at the age of fifty, thinking at last Id found happiness, but I had no idea what lay ahead
Im one of those women who settled down quite late. Sadly, my late-in-life relationship didnt last.
People used to call me the bookish one, and it’s true, I loved learning. After finishing my masters degree, I became a librarian. It was a friend who introduced me to my future husband. He was fifty-nine at the time, but was still searching for a wife and hadnt given up hope. I was nine years younger than him. From the moment I met John, he won my heart. He was a cultured, well-mannered man with a real love for poetry and literature. We started talking, and after a few months, he proposed.
I accepted because Id longed for a family for a long time. After the wedding, we moved into my flat, since his daughter and her family lived in his house. To be honest, I had no idea what I was getting myself into. Id always lived alone, and suddenly everything was differentI found myself upset all the time. There was a stain on my tablecloth, a rumpled duvet, socks scattered on the floor, and all sorts of odd habits Id never planned for Practically everything annoyed me. It honestly felt like he was a hotel guest and I was in charge of everything. He even struggled with money. I lost my patience when, instead of fixing the leaky tap, he broke it even more and only then called a plumber.
That day, I realised I didnt want to endure it all and be endlessly patient; we were grown adults, but our habits clashed terribly. Not long after, we sat down for a talk. As it turned out, John was content with everything as it was. Im a calm personI dont like rows or dramabut despite that, we simply couldnt find a peaceful solution. Johns daughter had already mapped out her life in her fathers house, assuming hed be with me for good. After three months, he finally agreed to a divorce. He even wanted the gifts hed given me returned. Giving back the rubbish bin and the necklace hardly bothered me.
This whole experience has made me reflect on whether its really possible to build a happy family life after fifty.
